In this article NET Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Samuel Boivin | Nurphoto | Getty Images Cloudflare 's stock rallied 10% Wednesday after the company beat Wall Street's fourth-quarter estimates and issued upbeat guidance as artificial intelligence adoption fuels demand for its networking and security tools. In an earnings call with analysts Tuesday, CEO Matthew Prince said the ri...
In this article NET Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Samuel Boivin | Nurphoto | Getty Images Cloudflare 's stock rallied 10% Wednesday after the company beat Wall Street's fourth-quarter estimates and issued upbeat guidance as artificial intelligence adoption fuels demand for its networking and security tools. In an earnings call with analysts Tuesday, CEO Matthew Prince said the rise of AI and agentic tools that can carry out tasks on a user's behalf has driven more demand to Cloudflare's networking and security offerings Prince said the company is seeing a boost from a so-called "fundamental re-platforming" of the Internet. "If AI agents are the new users of the internet, Cloudflare is the platform they run on and the network they pass through," he said. "This creates a virtuous flywheel." The global networking and cloud provider reported adjusted earnings of 28 cents per share on $615 million in revenue. That topped the 27 cents per share and $591 million in revenue expected by analysts polled by LSEG. Revenue jumped 34% from a year ago. Read more CNBC tech news 'Impossible': Taiwan pushes back against Washington's 40% chip supply relocation goal Alphabet calls out new AI-related risks, as it taps debt market to fund build-out Tesla exec Raj Jegannathan leaves automaker after 13 years Short seller CapitalWatch apologizes, retracts report on AppLovin shareholder Cloudflare also provided strong guidance, calling for revenue in the range of $620 million and $621 million during the first quarter, ahead of the $614 million expected by analysts. For the full year, Cloudflare expects revenue between $2.79 billion to $2.80 billion, versus a $2.74 billion estimate. Last month, the viral rise of Moltbot , an open-source AI personal assistant built on Anthropic 's Claude model, lifted shares of Cloudflare as the company's edge infrastructure and security platform proved effective for running the agents. The cybersecurity company then released its own Moltwork...
USA Rare Earth just got a big financial boost from Uncle Sam, but it doesn't change this key fact about the business. USA Rare Earth (USAR 3.84%) is quickly building the foundation for a rare-earth business. It already has processing assets, allowing it to take raw rare-earth metals and turn them into usable products, such as magnets. However, the next five years will be vital as it looks to put t...
USA Rare Earth just got a big financial boost from Uncle Sam, but it doesn't change this key fact about the business. USA Rare Earth (USAR 3.84%) is quickly building the foundation for a rare-earth business. It already has processing assets, allowing it to take raw rare-earth metals and turn them into usable products, such as magnets. However, the next five years will be vital as it looks to put the next piece of the puzzle in place. What does USA Rare Earth do? Right now, USA Rare Earth generates revenues from processing rare-earth metals in Europe. That comes from its recent acquisition of Less Common Metals. It is expected to open a processing facility in the United States in 2026, which will add to its revenue stream, as well. However, both of these businesses merely set the stage for the company's big plan: opening a rare-earth metal mine. That mine is expected to produce 15 of 17 rare-earth metals, including dysprosium, terbium, yttrium, and lutetium. It may also provide critical minerals, such as gallium and beryllium. These materials are used for everything from cellphones to national defense. When this mine is finally up and running, USA Rare Earth will have the full package, from the production of base rare-earth metals to their processing into usable products. USA Rare Earth just got a big investment The U.S. government just made a major investment in USA Rare Earth, acquiring 16.1 million shares and providing the company with a $1.3 billion loan. This investment helps to solidify the path forward for USA Rare Earth, as it now has the funding it needs to push forward with its mine development project. Expand NASDAQ : USAR USA Rare Earth Today's Change ( -3.84 %) $ -0.84 Current Price $ 21.04 Key Data Points Market Cap $3.2B Day's Range $ 20.55 - $ 22.85 52wk Range $ 5.56 - $ 43.98 Volume 5.6M Avg Vol 17M The mine is now expected to start commercial operation in 2028. That, however, is really just a starting point. Building a mine is a complex, costly, and...
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says offshore wind farms pose a national security risk. He says the Trump administration will appeal rulings to stop construction of the projects. (Source: Bloomberg)
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says offshore wind farms pose a national security risk. He says the Trump administration will appeal rulings to stop construction of the projects. (Source: Bloomberg)
XH4D/E+ via Getty Images Jefferies on Wednesday upgraded Beta Technologies ( BETA ) to Buy from a previous investment rating of Hold, arguing that recent market weakness has created an opportunity ahead of several potential catalysts. Shares recently traded around $16.72, implying about 79% upside to the new target, according to Jefferies analysts led by Sheila Kahyaoglu. The firm highlighted thre...
XH4D/E+ via Getty Images Jefferies on Wednesday upgraded Beta Technologies ( BETA ) to Buy from a previous investment rating of Hold, arguing that recent market weakness has created an opportunity ahead of several potential catalysts. Shares recently traded around $16.72, implying about 79% upside to the new target, according to Jefferies analysts led by Sheila Kahyaoglu. The firm highlighted three near-term drivers: expected awards in March under the Department of Transportation and FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, planned certification of Beta’s H500 pusher motor in the first half of 2026 and the start of the EVEX flight test program tied to a 10-year, up to $1 billion motor supply agreement. Integration pilot program Jefferies said the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, known as eIPP, could accelerate the introduction of electric aircraft into the national airspace system. The analysts see the program as a pathway for Beta ( BETA ) to begin cargo and medical operations as early as this year in a phased framework with regulators. The report argues that Beta’s CX300 conventional takeoff and landing aircraft provides an edge versus pure vertical takeoff competitors because it has already logged more than 100,000 nautical miles, including demonstration flights in Norway and New Zealand. Jefferies said certification of the CX300 is targeted for 2027, with the ALIA 250 vertical aircraft expected about a year later. Backlog and partnerships underpin long-term ramp The analysts estimate 2025 revenue of about $33 million, up 117% from 2024, with growth supported by ground support equipment sales and initial deliveries under technology partnerships. Beta ( BETA ) holds a backlog of 891 aircraft, including firm orders and options, valued at roughly $3.5 billion based on deposited orders. In addition, the company has more than $1 billion in contracted technology partnerships, including the EVEX pusher motor agreement signed in December 2025. Jefferies projects reve...
Explore how these two dividend ETFs differ in cost, sector focus, and risk to help refine your income investing strategy. The Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM +0.57%) stands out for its lower cost, slightly higher yield, and larger assets under management, while the ProShares - S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL +0.45%) features a focused portfolio of established dividend growers with a d...
Explore how these two dividend ETFs differ in cost, sector focus, and risk to help refine your income investing strategy. The Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM +0.57%) stands out for its lower cost, slightly higher yield, and larger assets under management, while the ProShares - S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL +0.45%) features a focused portfolio of established dividend growers with a different sector mix and higher expense ratio. Both VYM and NOBL target dividend-oriented U.S. equities, but their approaches diverge: VYM tracks high-yielding companies broadly, whereas NOBL invests only in S&P 500 stocks with at least 25 consecutive years of dividend increases. This comparison examines how their costs, performance, risk, and portfolio construction differ. Snapshot (Cost & Size) Metric VYM NOBL Issuer Vanguard ProShares Expense ratio 0.04% 0.35% 1-yr return (as of 2026-02-04) 15.6% 11.2% Dividend yield 2.3% 2.0% Beta 0.79 0.85 AUM $75.0 billion $11.9 billion Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. VYM is considerably more affordable, charging just 0.04% annually versus NOBL’s 0.35% expense ratio. VYM also delivers a modestly higher yield, offering a 2.3% payout compared to NOBL’s 2.0%. Performance & Risk Comparison Metric VYM NOBL Max drawdown (5 y) (15.83%) (17.92%) Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,616 $1,396 What's Inside NOBL holds 70 S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, each with at least 25 years of rising payouts. Its sector weights emphasize Industrials (24%), Consumer Defensive (21%), and Financial Services (13%). The largest positions—Amcor Plc (AMCR +0.17%), Pepsico Inc (PEP +1.45%), and Ww Grainger Inc (GWW +1.21%)—each make up less than 2% of assets, reflecting an equally weighted approach. With a 12.3-year track record, NOBL enforces a sector cap of 30% to avoid overconcentration. In contrast, VYM holds a much broader ...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 10 a.m. ET Call participants Chief Executive Officer — Stuart Rothstein Chief Financial Officer — Anastasia Mironova Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] Takeaways Distributable earnings -- $37 million, or $0.26 per diluted share for the quarter; $139 million, or $0.98 per diluted share for the full year, as...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 10 a.m. ET Call participants Chief Executive Officer — Stuart Rothstein Chief Financial Officer — Anastasia Mironova Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] Takeaways Distributable earnings -- $37 million, or $0.26 per diluted share for the quarter; $139 million, or $0.98 per diluted share for the full year, as directly reported by management. -- $37 million, or $0.26 per diluted share for the quarter; $139 million, or $0.98 per diluted share for the full year, as directly reported by management. GAAP net income available to common stockholders -- $26 million, or $0.18 per diluted share in the quarter; $114 million, or $0.81 per diluted share for the year. -- $26 million, or $0.18 per diluted share in the quarter; $114 million, or $0.81 per diluted share for the year. CECL allowance -- Total allowance at year-end was $383 million (418 basis points of total amortized cost), representing a decrease from 450.7 basis points a year ago, attributed to portfolio growth. -- Total allowance at year-end was $383 million (418 basis points of total amortized cost), representing a decrease from 450.7 basis points a year ago, attributed to portfolio growth. Loan portfolio size -- Ended the year at approximately $8.8 billion by amortized cost, up about $1.6 billion year over year. -- Ended the year at approximately $8.8 billion by amortized cost, up about $1.6 billion year over year. Portfolio composition -- 99% of loans are first mortgages, and 96% are floating rate; weighted average loan-to-value at roughly 59%. -- 99% of loans are first mortgages, and 96% are floating rate; weighted average loan-to-value at roughly 59%. Loan origination activity -- $1.3 billion committed to new loans in the quarter ($1.1 billion funded at close), plus $200 million in gross add-on fundings; full-year commitments total $4.4 billion, with $3.3 billion funded at close, and $900 million in add-ons. -- $1.3 billio...
The rapid viral adoption of Austrian developer Peter Steinberger's open source AI assistant OpenClaw in recent weeks has sent enterprises and indie developers into a tizzy. It's easy to easy why: OpenClaw is freely available now and offers a powerful means of autonomously completing work and performing tasks across a user's entire computer, phone, or even business with natural language prompts tha...
The rapid viral adoption of Austrian developer Peter Steinberger's open source AI assistant OpenClaw in recent weeks has sent enterprises and indie developers into a tizzy. It's easy to easy why: OpenClaw is freely available now and offers a powerful means of autonomously completing work and performing tasks across a user's entire computer, phone, or even business with natural language prompts that spin up swarms of agents. Since its release in November 2025, it's captured the market with over 50 modules and broad integrations — but its "permissionless" architecture raised alarms among developers and security teams. Enter NanoClaw , a lighter, more secure version which debuted under an open source MIT License on January 31, 2026, and achieved explosive growth—surpassing 7,000 stars on GitHub in just over a week. Created by Gavriel Cohen—an experienced software engineer who spent seven years at website builder Wix.com—the project was built to address the "security nightmare" inherent in complex, non-sandboxed agent frameworks. Cohen and his brother Lazer are also co-founders of Qwibit , a new AI-first go-to-market agency, and vice president and CEO, respectively, of Concrete Media , a respected public relations firm that often works with tech businesses covered by VentureBeat. NanoClaw’s immediate solution to this architectural anxiety is a hard pivot toward operating system-level isolation. The project places every agent inside isolated Linux containers—utilizing Apple Containers for high-performance execution on macOS or Docker for Linux environments. This creates a strictly "sandboxed" environment where the AI only interacts with directories explicitly mounted by the user. While other frameworks build internal "safeguards" or application-level allowlists to block certain commands, Gavriel maintains that such defenses are inherently fragile. "I'm not running that on my machine and letting an agent run wild," Cohen explained during a recent technical interview. "The...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Feb. 11, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET Call participants Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer — Christopher Pappas Chief Financial Officer — James Leddy Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] Takeaways Net sales -- $1.143 billion, up 10.5% compared to $1.034 billion, driven by 9.7% organic growth and 0.8% from acquisitions. -- $1.143 billio...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Feb. 11, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET Call participants Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer — Christopher Pappas Chief Financial Officer — James Leddy Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] Takeaways Net sales -- $1.143 billion, up 10.5% compared to $1.034 billion, driven by 9.7% organic growth and 0.8% from acquisitions. -- $1.143 billion, up 10.5% compared to $1.034 billion, driven by 9.7% organic growth and 0.8% from acquisitions. Specialty sales growth -- Organic specialty sales increased 6.4%, driven primarily by unique item placements up 4.2% and price inflation. -- Organic specialty sales increased 6.4%, driven primarily by unique item placements up 4.2% and price inflation. Unique customer growth -- Reported unique customer growth was 1.2%; excluding Texas commodity poultry program attrition, growth was approximately 3.5%. -- Reported unique customer growth was 1.2%; excluding Texas commodity poultry program attrition, growth was approximately 3.5%. Center-of-the-plate volume -- Pounds decreased approximately 2.4% reported in fiscal Q4 2025 (period ended Dec. 26, 2025) vs. prior year; excluding Texas commodity poultry attrition, pounds grew 7.5% in the same period. -- Pounds decreased approximately 2.4% reported in fiscal Q4 2025 (period ended Dec. 26, 2025) vs. prior year; excluding Texas commodity poultry attrition, pounds grew 7.5% in the same period. Gross profit -- $276.6 million, up 10.2% from $251 million; margin decreased by eight basis points to 24.2%. -- $276.6 million, up 10.2% from $251 million; margin decreased by eight basis points to 24.2%. Gross margin by category -- Specialty margin rose by approximately 45 basis points; center-of-the-plate margin declined by approximately 50 basis points. -- Specialty margin rose by approximately 45 basis points; center-of-the-plate margin declined by approximately 50 basis points. Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) -- $80.3 million compared to $68.2 milli...
M. Suhail/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Best Buy ( BBY ) is a very difficult company to describe, especially if you are talking about the investment case (which is the case in this article). The company managed not to be completely disrupted by Amazon ( AMZN ), but at the same time, it is far from having that sustainable moat that makes you think that the deep value here is attractive. So for ...
M. Suhail/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Best Buy ( BBY ) is a very difficult company to describe, especially if you are talking about the investment case (which is the case in this article). The company managed not to be completely disrupted by Amazon ( AMZN ), but at the same time, it is far from having that sustainable moat that makes you think that the deep value here is attractive. So for me, that's where Best Buy finds itself, in this “limbo.” It's not a company that is completely doomed to failure, as was the case with other retailers that were virtually wiped out in the transition to digital, such as GameStop ( GME ) and Bed Bath & Beyond ( BBBY ) (although the latter has a ticker symbol strangely similar to Best Buy). But at the same time, it is not a great company, one that I am convinced will have minimally sustainable growth over the next 10 or 20 years. The chart below also shows how Best Buy wasn't exactly disrupted, but it did suffer significantly over the past decade. Data by YCharts Therefore, my rating is a hold. The Positive Points of Best Buy... Starting with the positive points of Best Buy, as soon as you enter the investor relations website, they make it clear that they are still the “world's largest specialty consumer electronics retailer.” It is certainly possible to extract and infer some advantages from this information alone. Being the leading retailer specializing in something, you can build loyalty among more engaged customers, have operational gains, such as distribution and logistics advantages, and also have a good relationship with key suppliers so that you can sell at a very competitive price and get rid of some of the risk that someone with an even larger scale will sell products much cheaper. But with companies like Amazon and Walmart ( WMT ) in existence, I don't think that's where the moat really lies. I don't think you can say that Best Buy won't be disrupted just because of that, “just” because it will still be able to offe...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at 10 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS President and Chief Executive Officer — Kevin Leidwinger Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer — Julie Stephenson Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer — Eric Martin Vice President of Investor Relations — Timothy Borst Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at 10 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS President and Chief Executive Officer — Kevin Leidwinger Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer — Julie Stephenson Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer — Eric Martin Vice President of Investor Relations — Timothy Borst Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Underwriting Profit -- Increased from $9 million in 2024 to $67 million, representing a significant improvement in profitability. -- Increased from $9 million in 2024 to $67 million, representing a significant improvement in profitability. Net Written Premium -- Grew 9% to more than $1.3 billion, driven by record new business production of $247 million, strong retention in core commercial lines, and continued renewal premium increases. -- Grew 9% to more than $1.3 billion, driven by record new business production of $247 million, strong retention in core commercial lines, and continued renewal premium increases. Combined Ratio -- Improved to 94.8%, reflecting gains in underlying loss ratio, catastrophe loss ratio, and expense ratio. -- Improved to 94.8%, reflecting gains in underlying loss ratio, catastrophe loss ratio, and expense ratio. Net Investment Income -- Rose by nearly 20%, with annual investment income reaching $98 million, more than doubling the $45 million total reported in 2022. -- Rose by nearly 20%, with annual investment income reaching $98 million, more than doubling the $45 million total reported in 2022. Return on Equity -- Achieved 13.7% for the year, the highest in nearly two decades, up from 2% in 2022. -- Achieved 13.7% for the year, the highest in nearly two decades, up from 2% in 2022. Book Value Per Share -- Increased by over $6 for the year, reaching $36.88 at year-end. -- Increased by over $6 for the year, reaching $36.88 at year-end. Expense Ratio -- Fourth quarter expense ratio was 35.7%, a 1.4-point year-over-year improvement; mana...
bluestocking/E+ via Getty Images Executive Summary Thrivent Large Cap Value Fund ( TLVIX ) outperformed the Russell 1000 Value Index for the quarter and every quarter throughout the year, delivering consistent outperformance for the trailing 12 months. For the quarter, stock selection was positive in Industrials, Financials, Information Technology, Materials and Energy. Stock selection in Healthca...
bluestocking/E+ via Getty Images Executive Summary Thrivent Large Cap Value Fund ( TLVIX ) outperformed the Russell 1000 Value Index for the quarter and every quarter throughout the year, delivering consistent outperformance for the trailing 12 months. For the quarter, stock selection was positive in Industrials, Financials, Information Technology, Materials and Energy. Stock selection in Healthcare, Consumer Discretionary and Utilities detracted from performance. For the year, stock selection in Information Technology, Communications Services, Financials, and Utilities were positive. Healthcare and Consumer Staples stock selection detracted from performance. The Fund remains overweight in attractively valued companies and focuses on companies where future return on invested capital is not correctly priced into a company's valuation. Performance factors Thrivent Large Cap Value Fund delivered positive stock selection this quarter in Industrials, Financials, Information Technology, Materials, and Energy. Within Industrials, JB Hunt Transport Services ( JBHT ) rebounded after a prolonged transportation downturn, supported by improving supply-demand dynamics and company-specific cost-saving initiatives. Delta Air Lines ( DAL ) benefited from stronger-than-expected travel demand and improved pricing driven by balanced industry capacity. Flowserve ( FLS ) saw solid order growth, particularly in nuclear energy, and continued progress on its 80/20 product rationalization strategy. In Financials, Capital One Financial ( COF ) outperformed on better consumer credit trends and optimism around the combined Discovery entity, while First Citizens Bank ( FCNCA ) and Bank of America ( BAC ) gained from improved credit conditions and higher net interest income amid a steepening yield curve. Conversely, stock selection in Healthcare, Consumer Discretionary, and Utilities detracted from performance. In Healthcare, Labcorp Holdings ( LH ) lagged on concerns over potential unfavorable ...
z1b/iStock via Getty Images Earnings season can be a great time to buy on knee-jerk market reactions, especially when it comes to reliable wealth compounders with quality business models. I find the case with Raymond James Financial, Inc. ( RJF ), which I last covered back in February 2023, highlighting its strong growth in assets under management and robust return on equity. Since my last piece, ...
z1b/iStock via Getty Images Earnings season can be a great time to buy on knee-jerk market reactions, especially when it comes to reliable wealth compounders with quality business models. I find the case with Raymond James Financial, Inc. ( RJF ), which I last covered back in February 2023, highlighting its strong growth in assets under management and robust return on equity. Since my last piece, RJF has delivered a respectable 52% total return, which equates to a robust 15% CAGR over the past 3 years. Who says you have to invest in Magnificent 7 stocks to see strong total returns? At the current price of $158, RJF sits well below its 52-week high of $178 after the recent dip in price. It also has a reasonable forward P/E of 13.1. RJF Stock 1-Yr Trend (Seeking Alpha) In this article, I revisit RJF, including recent business results , and discuss why the dip creates a sound buying opportunity for patient value investors and potentially solid total returns, so let’s get started! Why RJF? Raymond James Financial is a diversified financial services company that serves individuals, corporations, and organizations. It has a broad set of wealth management, capital markets, asset management, and banking services. RJF was founded in 1962 and has thousands of financial advisors and associates across the United States, Canada, and select international markets. RJF has a fairly strong track record of revenue growth over the past 5 years, with its revenue nearly doubling to $16.1 billion over this time frame. At the same time, it’s kept expenses largely in check over the past 3 years, as reflected by its operating margin range of 17% to 19%, as shown below. YCharts RJF demonstrated solid results during its fiscal Q1 2026 (ended Dec. 31, 2025) with revenue growing by 6% YoY to reach a record $3.74 billion. This was driven by strong growth across its platforms. Client assets under management and Private Client Group assets grew by 14% and 19% YoY to reach $1.77 trillion and $1.04 ...
syahrir maulana/iStock via Getty Images Year to date in 2026, U.S. smallcap stocks represented by the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF ( IJR ) have significantly outperformed largecap stocks tracked by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ), marking a notable reversal after years of underperformance. IJR is up 10.9%, exceeding the larger SPY index, which moved up only 1.4% YTD. In light of this developm...
syahrir maulana/iStock via Getty Images Year to date in 2026, U.S. smallcap stocks represented by the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF ( IJR ) have significantly outperformed largecap stocks tracked by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ), marking a notable reversal after years of underperformance. IJR is up 10.9%, exceeding the larger SPY index, which moved up only 1.4% YTD. In light of this development, below is a list of small-cap energy stocks ranked by their last price percentage relative to their 200-day simple moving average (SMA). The list includes stocks from various energy sub-sectors, including Coal and Consumable Fuels, Oil and Gas Storage and Transportation, and Oil and Gas Exploration and Production. The list is topped by Natural Resource Partners L.P. ( NRP ), with a last price percentage vs 200 day SMA of 19.50%. Permian Basin Royalty Trust ( PBT ) and Dorian LPG Ltd. ( LPG ) follow closely behind, with Summit Midstream Corporation ( SMC ) and PHI Group, Inc. ( PHIG ) rounding out the top five. The stocks on the list represent a variety of energy sub-sectors, from coal to LPG transportation to oil and gas services. Quant ratings for these stocks vary, with Infinity Natural Resources, Inc. ( INR ) earning a Buy rating, while RPC, Inc. ( RES ) holds a Sell rating. Several stocks, including NRP, PBT, SMC, and PHIG, are currently not covered by Seeking Alpha’s Quant Ratings system. Here is the list: Natural Resource Partners L.P. ( NRP ), last price percentage vs 200 day SMA: 19.50% Permian Basin Royalty Trust ( PBT ), last price percentage vs 200 day SMA: 17.73% Dorian LPG ( LPG ), last price percentage vs 200 day SMA: 16.90% Summit Midstream ( SMC ), last price percentage vs 200 day SMA: 16.70% PHI Group ( PHIG ), last price percentage vs 200 day SMA: 16.16% Clean Energy Fuels ( CLNE ), last price percentage vs 200 day SMA: 14.95% PrimeEnergy Resources ( PNRG ), last price percentage vs 200 day SMA: 14.77% Infinity Natural Resources ( INR ), last price per...
SweetBunFactory/iStock via Getty Images Last week, we talked about the Google ( GOOGL ) and Amazon ( AMZN ) earnings. The companies building AI computing supply still can't build fast enough to meet demand. That was signal buriedunder the noise of a Bitcoin decline and pontifications about software obsolescence. Today, we got another clear signal. Taiwan Semi ( TSM ) reported an explosion in Janua...
SweetBunFactory/iStock via Getty Images Last week, we talked about the Google ( GOOGL ) and Amazon ( AMZN ) earnings. The companies building AI computing supply still can't build fast enough to meet demand. That was signal buriedunder the noise of a Bitcoin decline and pontifications about software obsolescence. Today, we got another clear signal. Taiwan Semi ( TSM ) reported an explosion in January sales - typically a post-holiday lull month. They reported 37% year-over-year growth. But that wasn't the jaw-dropper - it was the 20% jump in revenue from the prior month (month-over-month growth)! At the same time, the board gave a greenlight to a $45 billion capex plan - to build out capacity "based on market demand forecasts." Remember, Nvidia's ( NVDA ) growth over the past two years has only been constrained by TSM's ability to fulfill Nvidia's demand for chips. TSM had hit a capacity wall. The demand was there, but the manufacturing capacity wasn't. That capacity has since been expanded, and will be further expanded with today's capex plan announcement. This 19% monthly growth for TSM looks like the "Nvidia moment" for chips. Remember, Nvidia shocked the world in May of 2023 with a huge quarter. And then Jensen Huang told us the data center demand was so steep, that the next-quarter revenues would jump by more than 50% (from $7 billion to $11 billion). And he said the hyper-growth would continue for the foreseeable future. So, May 2023 was "the moment" the world realized that AI was about to reinvent computing. With that in mind, just a couple of weeks ago, we may have seen the "Nvidia moment" for storage - the moment the world realized AI demand for data storage is endless. Sandisk ( SNDK ) reported $3 billion in revenue (up 31% from the prior quarter) and then guided for $4.4-4.8 billion next quarter(!) - a 50% sequential leap in just 90 days. And now we may have "the moment" for the world's most advanced AI chips. And this is the proxy for the health of the ent...
WTI Slides On Biggest Crude Build In A Year, Production Rebound; But... Oil prices continued their recent rally this morning as traders hiked its risk premium as Israeli PM Netanyahu arrived in Washington to pressure President Trump to take a hard line in talks with Iran, even as the API report overnight showed a huge rise in US inventories last week. "Oil trades firmer, with Brent back above USD ...
WTI Slides On Biggest Crude Build In A Year, Production Rebound; But... Oil prices continued their recent rally this morning as traders hiked its risk premium as Israeli PM Netanyahu arrived in Washington to pressure President Trump to take a hard line in talks with Iran, even as the API report overnight showed a huge rise in US inventories last week. "Oil trades firmer, with Brent back above USD 69 as Middle East tensions sustain a modest risk premium. The US signaled it is considering seizing tankers carrying Iranian oil, while President Trump threatened to deploy another aircraft carrier should nuclear talks with Iran fail," Saxo Bank noted. The threats of violence in the Persian Gulf - a region that supplies about a fifth of the world's daily oil consumption - comes even as signs supply remains well ahead of demand . "While rhetoric remains belligerent at times, there are no signs, at least for now, of escalation, and the U.S. President believes that Iran will ultimately want to strike a deal on its nuclear missile programme," PVM Oil Associates analyst Tamas Varga said in a note. If API's huge build is confirmed by the official data, the battle between geopolitical risk premia and over-supply gets harder (but admittedly this is very much affected by the freezing storms). Expect another volatile week of EIA data with “significant winter freeze noise,” Macquarie energy strategist Walt Chancellor said referring to last month’s storm. API Crude +13.4mm Cushing Gasoline +3.3mm Distillates -2.0mm DOE Crude +8.53mm (-400k exp) - biggest build since Jan 2025 Cushing +1.07mm Gasoline +1.16mm Distillates -2.70mm The official data confirmed a large crude build (largest since Jan 2025), but smaller than feared from API. Gasoline stocks rose for the 13th straight week while Distillates saw stocks fall for the second week... Source: Bloomberg This build pushed total crude stocks up to their highest since June... Source: Bloomberg Stockpiles at Cushing, Oklahoma, rose to 25.1...
James O'Neil/DigitalVision via Getty Images WEC Energy Group, Inc. ( WEC ) is taking advantage of its huge energy capacity, both in generation and in distribution, to supply future demand expectations. I think this company could play a key role in meeting the demand for AI data centers. Microsoft ( MSFT ) is consolidating its massive data center in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin , a state that is very ...
James O'Neil/DigitalVision via Getty Images WEC Energy Group, Inc. ( WEC ) is taking advantage of its huge energy capacity, both in generation and in distribution, to supply future demand expectations. I think this company could play a key role in meeting the demand for AI data centers. Microsoft ( MSFT ) is consolidating its massive data center in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin , a state that is very important to the company's long-term strategy. WEC focuses not only on Wisconsin but also on three Midwestern states: Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota. As part of the company's diversification toward renewable sources, some of its wind and solar infrastructure is located in other states such as Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Ohio. But its revenue operations are focused on the Midwest, where the company supplies 4.7 million customers. I think it's not only a robust power generator but also a very solid energy distributor. The company conducts both types of business through its eight major subsidiaries, combined with affiliates that guarantee the infrastructure, acquiring and building new properties. With an installed capacity of 8.15 GW, which is planned to be expanded through an ambitious capital investment plan that I will explain later, I believe that WEC will be a fundamental company in the energy demand of the future driven by AI data centers. However, I also believe this is already priced in, and that is why I rate it as a Hold. Given that strong operational capacity, I believe Microsoft could be just the tip of the iceberg. The Wisconsin data center could demand 2.1 GW by 2030. Besides, in the recent Q4 2025 earnings presentation, a 500 MW expansion was announced to meet that future demand, requiring an investment of $1 billion. This raised the previous expected CAPEX from $36.5 billion in the 2026-2030 period to $37.5 billion. WEC Energy Group Is WEC Energy Group's Heavy Capital Investment Sustainable? I believe this capital expansion deserves special at...
J Studios The massive wave of artificial intelligence investment is no longer just a corporate talking point—it’s now visibly impacting economic indicators across multiple sectors. ISM manufacturing data has broken out of recession territory, and capital expenditure numbers are “starting to skyrocket,” according to Mary Ann Bartels, chief investment strategist at Sanctuary Wealth. “All this AI spe...
J Studios The massive wave of artificial intelligence investment is no longer just a corporate talking point—it’s now visibly impacting economic indicators across multiple sectors. ISM manufacturing data has broken out of recession territory, and capital expenditure numbers are “starting to skyrocket,” according to Mary Ann Bartels, chief investment strategist at Sanctuary Wealth. “All this AI spend is actually really now showing up in the economy and in the data,” she said. In an interview with CNBC, Bartels highlighted a significant rotation underway in the markets, with the Dow ( DJI ) and transports ( IYT ), ( XTN ), ( FTXR ) hitting record all-time highs while tech ( AIQ ), ( XLK ), ( ARTY ) remains in a bear market. The transports breakout is particularly notable, as the sector hadn’t reached new highs since 2022. “I think for investors, the most important thing is to have a diversified portfolio,” Bartels explained. “This is not a Mag 7 ( MAGS ) market.” Traditional sectors are emerging as unexpected beneficiaries of the AI infrastructure buildout. Bartels pointed to Caterpillar ( CAT ), typically associated with farming equipment, which is hitting record highs due to its participation in the AI build—including converting engines into turbines for natural gas power generation. She expressed astonishment at utilities ( IDU ), ( XLU ), ( VPU ) becoming growth stocks, noting the “interesting reversal” where these typically defensive plays now offer both growth potential and dividends. Despite her optimism about the broader market rotation, Bartels warned of potential turbulence ahead tied to the midterm election cycle. Following historical patterns, she suggested investors could face “a doozy of a correction” ranging between 15% and 20%. However, she views the current pullback in tech as a healthy development rather than a cause for alarm. The strategist’s most striking observation concerns the global nature of this market shift. Bartels noted that both U.S. and...
peshkov/iStock via Getty Images Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) dropped Tuesday even after a blowout January jobs report that sent U.S. equities whipsawing, extending its divergence from Big Tech stocks, in particular. The world's largest digital token by market cap ( BTC-USD ) retreated 3.8% to $67.1K in the last 24 hours as of 10:32 a.m. ET, the weakest level since last Friday's selloff. While bitcoin brief...
peshkov/iStock via Getty Images Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) dropped Tuesday even after a blowout January jobs report that sent U.S. equities whipsawing, extending its divergence from Big Tech stocks, in particular. The world's largest digital token by market cap ( BTC-USD ) retreated 3.8% to $67.1K in the last 24 hours as of 10:32 a.m. ET, the weakest level since last Friday's selloff. While bitcoin briefly trimmed a sizable portion of its intraday losses after the nonfarm payrolls data, the rebound quickly faded and prices slid deeper into the red. Meanwhile, Wall Street initially rose sharply after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the U.S. economy added 130K jobs last month, blowing past the 70K expected and well above December's 48K, leading traders to extend their interest-rate-reduction bets as a stronger labor market gives the Federal Reserve less room to ease. The gains didn't last long, with stocks turning red about 30 minutes after the opening bell. Other tokens on the move include Ether ( ETH-USD ) -5.3%, ZCash ( ZEC-USD ) -5%, Solana ( SOL-USD ) -4.7%, Dogecoin ( DOGE-USD ) -4.6%, Stellar ( XLM-USD ) 4.2%, Cardano ( ADA-USD ) -4%, XRP ( XRP-USD ) -3.5% and Avalanche ( AVAX-USD ) -3.3%. The year-to-date divergence between Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) and the tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust ( QQQ ) has widened as BTC sits roughly 45% from its all-time highs in October. "Technically, the market is stabilizing after the shakeout, which is why our base case is consolidation in a $60,000–$75,000 range for the next few weeks, potentially up to a month," said Gracy Chen, CEO of crypto exchange Bitget. "That said, there’s a downside scenario, as a move toward $50,000 remains a real risk if sellers keep pressing and shorts stay aggressive, since this is the next meaningful 'gravity level'—a support zone that can attract bids and fuel a sharp bounce if forced selling depletes." Bitcoin vs QQQ year-to-date (Seeking Alpha) More on Bitcoin USD, Ethereum USD, etc. January Jobs Repor...
e-crow/iStock via Getty Images Gold price swings in January highlighted volatility, not weakness. Strong demand, central bank buying and improving miner fundamentals continue to support a durable long-term bull market in 2026. Gold’s Volatile Start to 2026 Gold had a phenomenal, albeit very volatile, start to the year. Rising geopolitical tensions around the world, in particular, developments invo...
e-crow/iStock via Getty Images Gold price swings in January highlighted volatility, not weakness. Strong demand, central bank buying and improving miner fundamentals continue to support a durable long-term bull market in 2026. Gold’s Volatile Start to 2026 Gold had a phenomenal, albeit very volatile, start to the year. Rising geopolitical tensions around the world, in particular, developments involving Venezuela, Iran and Greenland, combined with persistent U.S. tariff and sanctions threats, pushed gold above $5,000 per ounce on January 26. Breaking through that psychological level appeared to unleash a wave of speculative buying. By January 29, gold was trading at an intraday high of $5,595 per ounce, nearly $1,300 higher than at the end of 2025. That kind of price action made a pullback almost inevitable, and markets quickly found a catalyst in the nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair on January 30. Gold fell 9% on the day. Warsh was initially seen as a more hawkish choice, supportive of the U.S. dollar and generally negative for gold, signaling potentially less accommodative monetary policy ahead. That said, after the initial reaction, the implied probability of Fed rate cuts ticked up slightly, possibly reflecting Warsh’s comments suggesting alignment with President Trump’s preference for lower rates. Gold closed January 30 at $4,894.23 per ounce, ending the month up $574.86, or 13.31%. Chart 1: 3-Month Gold Price Source: FactSet. Data as of January 4, 2026. Key Gold Price Drivers Remain in Place January’s price action is a reminder of both gold’s uncontested role as a safe haven and U.S. dollar alternative, and the increased volatility that comes with trading at record levels. In our view, these sharp swings should not distract or deter gold investors. Gold's longer-term outlook remains supported by the same forces that drove it in 2025: central banks and investors seeking protection, diversification and de-dollarization in their reserves and portfol...
StockByM/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Ralph Lauren ( RL ) is drawing favorable reviews for its presentation at the New York Fashion Week. Fashion media updates on the Ralph Lauren ( RL ) show highlighted that the company's Fall 2026 women’s collection served as both a marquee runway event and a reaffirmation of the brand’s core identity by highlighting a vision of "timeless English-countrysid...
StockByM/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Ralph Lauren ( RL ) is drawing favorable reviews for its presentation at the New York Fashion Week. Fashion media updates on the Ralph Lauren ( RL ) show highlighted that the company's Fall 2026 women’s collection served as both a marquee runway event and a reaffirmation of the brand’s core identity by highlighting a vision of "timeless English-countryside romance" reimagined with modern metallic armor. The company positioned the show as reinforcing its role as a leading American luxury house and framed the season around “the adventure of fashion,” describing its customer as someone whose style is timeless, self-assured, and independent rather than trend-driven. Ralph Lauren's ( RL ) event was held in Manhattan's beaux arts Clock Tower building, which was transformed into an English country interior with layered rugs, landscape paintings, and vintage-inspired seating. The collection emphasized the interplay between softness and strength, combining romantic Victorian blouses, flowing skirts, cloaks, and riding boots with metallic accents, chain mail, and crystal embellishments that suggested a contemporary sense of armor. Key looks included a corseted wool top layered over a turtleneck, long skirt, and silver waist chain, establishing corsetry, long hemlines, and metal hardware as signatures of the season, alongside gray corset blazers, velvet dresses, and long coats in deep browns and other subdued tones. Accessories were in the spotlight as well, with crystal and metallic brooches on wool cloaks, silver belt chains over tailoring and dresses, and a chain-mail top styled under tweed as a deliberate Joan of Arc reference. Notably, Anne Hathaway was at the event to kick off the press tour for The Devil Wears Prada 2 from Disney's ( DIS ) 20th Century Studios. Shares of Ralph Lauren ( RL ) moved up 1.9% in Wednesday morning trading. The stock has a track record of gaining in the six weeks after New York Fashion Week in years t...