It can be important for investors to have a solid foundation in their portfolios. Investors can look at Berkshire Hathaway's massive $324 billion public equities portfolio to find worthy ideas. The largest holdings, like Apple, American Express, and Coca-Cola, get a lot of the attention. But the conglomerate owns much smaller stakes in other successful industry leaders. Say hello to what might be ...
It can be important for investors to have a solid foundation in their portfolios. Investors can look at Berkshire Hathaway's massive $324 billion public equities portfolio to find worthy ideas. The largest holdings, like Apple, American Express, and Coca-Cola, get a lot of the attention. But the conglomerate owns much smaller stakes in other successful industry leaders. Say hello to what might be two of the safest Warren Buffett stocks investors can buy in 2026 -- two holdings that the now-former Berkshire chairman bought many years ago. Representing a combined 1.5% of Berkshire's portfolio As of Feb. 4, Berkshire Hathaway owns $2.7 billion worth of Visa (V +0.81%) shares and $2.2 billion worth of Mastercard (MA 0.57%) shares. Combined, these two positions make up 1.5% of the portfolio. While that's a very small percentage in the grand scheme of things, investors shouldn't let that take away from how dominant these businesses are in their industry. Visa and Mastercard both benefit from a powerful network effect. Billions of their cards are in use around the world. And they are accepted at more than 150 million merchant locations. With more cards and more places to shop, the value proposition of the platform improves for all stakeholders. Replicating this setup would be a daunting task. Expand NYSE : V Visa Today's Change ( 0.81 %) $ 2.68 Current Price $ 331.81 Key Data Points Market Cap $632B Day's Range $ 327.13 - $ 335.00 52wk Range $ 299.00 - $ 375.51 Volume 321K Avg Vol 7.2M Gross Margin 78.02 % Dividend Yield 0.74 % Despite all the innovation that's been happening in payments, specifically with new offerings from fintech enterprises, as well as stablecoins, Visa and Mastercard keep reporting strong financial results. In the past 10 years, they have both registered double-digit revenue and diluted earnings-per-share growth on an annualized basis. The supreme competitive positions that these companies have built are almost impossible to disrupt. This gives invest...
Key Points While Berkshire's top positions get a lot of attention, investors shouldn't ignore smaller holdings. These two industry leaders have built up powerful network effects that reduce their competitive risk. Investors likely won't achieve outsize returns owning shares of Visa and Mastercard, but that's OK. 10 stocks we like better than Mastercard › Investors can look at Berkshire Hathaway's ...
Key Points While Berkshire's top positions get a lot of attention, investors shouldn't ignore smaller holdings. These two industry leaders have built up powerful network effects that reduce their competitive risk. Investors likely won't achieve outsize returns owning shares of Visa and Mastercard, but that's OK. 10 stocks we like better than Mastercard › Investors can look at Berkshire Hathaway's massive $324 billion public equities portfolio to find worthy ideas. The largest holdings, like Apple, American Express, and Coca-Cola, get a lot of the attention. But the conglomerate owns much smaller stakes in other successful industry leaders. Say hello to what might be two of the safest Warren Buffett stocks investors can buy in 2026 -- two holdings that the now-former Berkshire chairman bought many years ago. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Representing a combined 1.5% of Berkshire's portfolio As of Feb. 4, Berkshire Hathaway owns $2.7 billion worth of Visa (NYSE: V) shares and $2.2 billion worth of Mastercard (NYSE: MA) shares. Combined, these two positions make up 1.5% of the portfolio. While that's a very small percentage in the grand scheme of things, investors shouldn't let that take away from how dominant these businesses are in their industry. Visa and Mastercard both benefit from a powerful network effect. Billions of their cards are in use around the world. And they are accepted at more than 150 million merchant locations. With more cards and more places to shop, the value proposition of the platform improves for all stakeholders. Replicating this setup would be a daunting task. Despite all the innovation that's been happening in payments, specifically with new offerings from fintech enterprises, as well as stablecoins, Visa and Mastercard keep reporting strong financial res...
China’s first trade shock hit the United States after it joined the WTO in 2001, hollowing out parts of American manufacturing. Now a new wave of Chinese exports is reshaping global trade with Europe increasingly in the crosshairs. We travel to Bavaria in Germany to see firsthand how local auto manufacturers are facing headwinds from China, and get analysis from economists David Autor and Stephani...
China’s first trade shock hit the United States after it joined the WTO in 2001, hollowing out parts of American manufacturing. Now a new wave of Chinese exports is reshaping global trade with Europe increasingly in the crosshairs. We travel to Bavaria in Germany to see firsthand how local auto manufacturers are facing headwinds from China, and get analysis from economists David Autor and Stephanie Flanders on whether the ‘second China shock’ will echo the past or unfold very differently. (Source: Bloomberg)
Source: Yahoo Finance AVGO $ 332.92 + Infinity % 1D 1D 5D 1M 3M 6M YTD 1Y 5Y 1D Line Candle Analyst Views on AVGO Wall Street analysts forecast AVGO stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AVGO is 462.58 USD with a low forecast of 390.00 USD and a high forecast of 525.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective a...
Source: Yahoo Finance AVGO $ 332.92 + Infinity % 1D 1D 5D 1M 3M 6M YTD 1Y 5Y 1D Line Candle Analyst Views on AVGO Wall Street analysts forecast AVGO stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AVGO is 462.58 USD with a low forecast of 390.00 USD and a high forecast of 525.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals. 28 Analyst Rating Wall Street analysts forecast AVGO stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AVGO is 462.58 USD with a low forecast of 390.00 USD and a high forecast of 525.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals. 27 Buy 1 Hold 0 Sell Strong Buy Current: 310.510 Low 390.00 Averages 462.58 High 525.00 Current: 310.510 Low 390.00 Averages 462.58 High 525.00 Wolfe Research Chris Caso Peer Perform -> Outperform upgrade $400 2026-01-30 Reason Wolfe Research Chris Caso Price Target $400 AI Analysis 2026-01-30 upgrade Peer Perform -> Outperform Reason Wolfe Research analyst Chris Caso upgraded Broadcom to Outperform from Peer Perform with a $400 price target. Channel checks suggest the company will ship 7mn tensor processing units by 2028, with other projects "creating optionality for numbers," the analyst tells investors in a research note. Wolfe's bull case for which Broadcom, which includes a doubling of its artificial intelligence revenue in 2027, yields $18 of earnings per share. Its price reflects 22-times this earnings power. "We can no longer ignore" Broadcom's growth and competitiveness in tensor processing units, says the firm. Jefferies Blayne Curtis Buy maintain $250 -> ...
In early 2026, Apple selected JPMorgan Chase to replace Goldman Sachs as the issuer of the Apple Card, shifting over 12 million existing cardholders to Chase’s platform. This move gives JPMorgan a large influx of digitally engaged customers and fresh opportunities to deepen relationships across its broader consumer banking and payments ecosystem. Next, we’ll examine how inheriting Apple Card’s siz...
In early 2026, Apple selected JPMorgan Chase to replace Goldman Sachs as the issuer of the Apple Card, shifting over 12 million existing cardholders to Chase’s platform. This move gives JPMorgan a large influx of digitally engaged customers and fresh opportunities to deepen relationships across its broader consumer banking and payments ecosystem. Next, we’ll examine how inheriting Apple Card’s sizeable user base could reshape JPMorgan Chase’s investment narrative around scale and consumer payments. We've uncovered the 14 dividend fortresses yielding 5%+ that don't just survive market storms, but thrive in them. What Is JPMorgan Chase's Investment Narrative? To own JPMorgan Chase today, you have to believe in a very large, diversified bank that can keep compounding value through disciplined lending, resilient credit, and steady fee businesses, even if growth is modest and the shares already trade at a premium to many peers. Short term, catalysts still center on net interest income trends, credit quality, and how much excess capital management returns via buybacks and dividends after a year in which the bank repurchased over US$16.5 billion of stock and lifted the quarterly dividend to US$1.50. The Apple Card mandate fits neatly into that story, reinforcing JPMorgan’s scale advantage in cards and broadening its pool of digitally native customers, but the stock’s muted recent moves suggest the market is not treating it as a transformational earnings event yet. Instead, it slightly tilts the risk balance toward execution in consumer payments and technology integration at a time when the bank is already investing heavily in data, analytics and blockchain-based payment infrastructure such as Kinexys Liink. With earnings growth expectations in the low single digits and return on equity projected below 20%, the key question is whether this combination of scale, technology investment, and capital returns is enough to justify a valuation above much of the U.S. banking sector ...
Make better investment decisions with Simply Wall St's easy, visual tools that give you a competitive edge. Amazon.com (NasdaqGS:AMZN) has outlined a record US$200b capital expenditure plan for 2026, targeting AI, cloud, robotics, and satellite infrastructure. German regulators have prohibited Amazon from using marketplace price controls and imposed a multimillion euro fine. For investors watching...
Make better investment decisions with Simply Wall St's easy, visual tools that give you a competitive edge. Amazon.com (NasdaqGS:AMZN) has outlined a record US$200b capital expenditure plan for 2026, targeting AI, cloud, robotics, and satellite infrastructure. German regulators have prohibited Amazon from using marketplace price controls and imposed a multimillion euro fine. For investors watching NasdaqGS:AMZN, this dual update ties together two key themes: heavy investment in technology infrastructure and rising regulatory scrutiny. The planned US$200b spend sits on top of Amazon’s existing roles in e-commerce, cloud computing, and logistics, and comes at a time when AI and data center build-outs are priority topics across large technology platforms. The German decision on price controls and the related fine highlight that regulatory risk is not only a US issue but also a factor in major overseas markets. As Amazon advances large-scale projects in AI and satellite connectivity, investors may want to consider how capital intensity and compliance obligations could influence returns, margins, and competitive positioning. Stay updated on the most important news stories for Amazon.com by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Amazon.com. NasdaqGS:AMZN 1-Year Stock Price Chart Why Amazon.com could be great value For Amazon, the US$200b 2026 capex plan and the German ruling are landing directly in investor sentiment, because they speak to two things you care about most: how much cash is going into long-lived AI and cloud assets and how much regulatory friction could affect marketplace profitability. The sheer size of the spend, after a quarter where earnings per share came in just below expectations and short term operating income guidance was softer, helps explain why the stock has seen sharp price reactions, even as Amazon highlights strong demand in Amazon Web Services and AI infrastructure that c...
Meta Platforms, Inc. has once again found itself at the center of Wall Street’s attention, as the social networking giant’s stock continues to attract major institutional investment, deliver robust earnings, and spark debate over its aggressive push into artificial intelligence and infrastructure. In the past quarter, the company—best known for its suite of platforms including Facebook, Instagram,...
Meta Platforms, Inc. has once again found itself at the center of Wall Street’s attention, as the social networking giant’s stock continues to attract major institutional investment, deliver robust earnings, and spark debate over its aggressive push into artificial intelligence and infrastructure. In the past quarter, the company—best known for its suite of platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger—has seen a remarkable flurry of activity among both investors and analysts, reflecting its evolving position in the global tech landscape. Among the most notable moves, AE Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 4.4% during the third quarter, now owning 311,172 shares after acquiring an additional 13,053 shares, according to a recent SEC filing reported by MarketBeat. This investment now represents about 1.5% of AE Wealth Management’s portfolio, making Meta its eighth largest position, valued at $228,522,000 at the end of the quarter. Other heavyweights have also increased their stakes: Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position by 0.8% in the second quarter, now holding over 192 million shares worth more than $142 billion, while State Street Corp and Geode Capital Management LLC also reported sizeable increases. Norges Bank’s new stake, valued at over $23 billion, further underscores the institutional enthusiasm. In total, institutional investors and hedge funds now own a commanding 79.91% of Meta stock. Hedge funds are not sitting on the sidelines either. Antipodes Partners Ltd, managed by Jacob Mitchell, recently executed a significant transaction involving Meta Platforms, increasing its position by 179,243 shares. This comes amid a period of marked volatility for Meta’s stock: while the past month saw a slight decline of about 1% in earlier periods, recent weeks have brought gains of roughly 12%. Over the last twelve months, the stock’s performance has been solidly positive, albeit in the mid-single-digit range. Despite the ...
The north of England is seeking to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games to boost a region “left out of the national story”. Northern leaders have written to the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, urging the government to back a multi-city games spanning an area with a population of 15 million people. Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, said last year he wanted the capital to bid for the 2040 Olympics, whic...
The north of England is seeking to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games to boost a region “left out of the national story”. Northern leaders have written to the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, urging the government to back a multi-city games spanning an area with a population of 15 million people. Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, said last year he wanted the capital to bid for the 2040 Olympics, which would come nearly 30 years after it hosted the 2012 Games. Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, said on Sunday it “wouldn’t be fair or right” for London to host for a fourth time, and that a northern bid was “what Britain needs right now”. Sir Brendan Foster, the former 3,000m world record holder and founder of the Great North Run, said a northern games was vital for a “fairer distribution of major international sporting events across the country”. He added: “Obviously iconic sporting occasions like Wimbledon, Royal Ascot, Lords Test matches and the London Marathon are rightly celebrated in the nation’s capital, but when the government is financing hosting global sporting events, they should have a balanced national approach as their guiding principle.” In a letter signed by 11 political leaders across the north, Nandy was told that a northern games would be a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate regeneration, rebalance the economy, and reset international perceptions of England”. Mayors believe they are in strong contention for a 2040 bid after the International Olympic Committee prioritised a move towards multi-city events. They also hope Keir Starmer will see the political benefit of a northern games as his party trails by an average of 10 points in the polls to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, which is making significant inroads in Labour’s former heartlands. Nandy, the MP for Wigan, has prioritised the distribution of cultural events across the UK, but her department would not be drawn on Sunday on whether it would back the northern bid. A spokesperson sai...
It snowed two weeks ago in New York. Since then, the temperature has barely risen above freezing – a temperature science naturally dictates is necessary to melt snow and ice. But science isn’t enough for some US political critics, however, who have instead blamed Zohran Mamdani, New York’s new socialist mayor, for the snow not having melted and still clogging up some of the city’s streets. The New...
It snowed two weeks ago in New York. Since then, the temperature has barely risen above freezing – a temperature science naturally dictates is necessary to melt snow and ice. But science isn’t enough for some US political critics, however, who have instead blamed Zohran Mamdani, New York’s new socialist mayor, for the snow not having melted and still clogging up some of the city’s streets. The New York Post, the rightwing tabloid and a frequent Mamdani critic, has led the charge. This week the newspaper claimed that “slushy streets” were “ruining travel for everyone”. “New Yorkers are feeling left out in the cold more than a week after fierce Winter Storm Fern dumped over a foot of snow on the city – and left behind iceberg-sized snow piles blocking roadways, bike lanes, sidewalks and parking spots,” the Post said. The newspaper found and interviewed several people who blamed Mamdani for the fact snow was on the ground, including one man who complained that he had fallen off his bicycle due to ice. Kelly Jane Torrance, the New York Post’s editor-at-large, went on Sky News Australia on Thursday to double down on the criticism. “It’s just incredible how badly he has mismanaged his very first snowstorm,” Torrance said. “The snow is still here. A lot of it. It’s … we’ve got record cold temperatures really in the next day or so,” she added. The mayor of New York has little power over the temperature of the city. Calling Mamdani “pro-criminal”, Torrance suggested that New York is “facing this possible breakdown in public order”. On Monday, the New York police department reported that January, Mamdani’s first month in office, saw record low crime figures for New York, with the fewest murders, shootings, and shooting victims in the city’s history. The snow-related criticism spread among social media users. On Threads, a user called @lowerdeckmike, who has regularly posted content criticizing Mamdani, posted a picture of some snow and wrote: “More than a week after 11 o ches...
If you’re not au fait with these soft, chocolatey treats, you clearly haven’t spent much time in Brazil, where, in the words of blogger Olivia Mesquita, they’re national treasures, “a must-have at special celebrations, from kids’ parties to weddings”. As content creator Camila Hurst puts it, “It’s basically not a party without them.” Quick and simple to make from everyday ingredients, they’re also...
If you’re not au fait with these soft, chocolatey treats, you clearly haven’t spent much time in Brazil, where, in the words of blogger Olivia Mesquita, they’re national treasures, “a must-have at special celebrations, from kids’ parties to weddings”. As content creator Camila Hurst puts it, “It’s basically not a party without them.” Quick and simple to make from everyday ingredients, they’re also an ideal last-minute gift for someone you love. The chocolate View image in fullscreen Olivia Mesquita uses dark chocolate for her brigadeiros. All inset photographs by Felicity Cloake. Older recipes tend to call for hot chocolate powder, but plain cocoa powder makes for a less intensely sweet result. Mesquita’s book, Authentic Brazilian Home Cooking, uses dark chocolate, and TV chef Leticia Moreinos Schwartz suggests combining the two. But, delicious as the results are, they’re more like dense, buttery chocolate truffles than light, silky party treats. Like Yotam Ottolenghi, I’ve gone for four tablespoons of cocoa, but feel free to adjust this to suit your palate. The dairy View image in fullscreen Natalie Pereira’s mother used a mix of sugar and milk for her brigaderios, but Felicity recommends tinned condensed milk. Chef Natalia Pereira told the New York Times that her mother in Minas Gerais would stir milk and sugar together over the wood stove to produce her brigadeiros – though homemade condensed milk is easier than I expect, the flavour is lost here, so I’d recommend the tinned variety. Almost everyone uses butter, with the exception of the recipe on the Carnation condensed milk website, which substitutes margarine, making me think a vegan version might be possible with plant-based condensed milk. Schwartz also adds a spoonful of double cream, tempering the intense sweet bitterness of the cocoa and condensed milk into something mellower; it’s optional but worthwhile, in my opinion. The extras View image in fullscreen Yotam Ottolenghi’s brigadieros call for crushed b...
Super Bowl LX is setting up to generate record-setting sports betting numbers in the U.S., even as fast-growing prediction markets aggressively push in. The American Gaming Association forecasts that roughly $1.76B in legal wagers will be placed on Super Bowl LX in the U.S. in what will likely be the single biggest betting event on the U.S. sports calendar. DraftKings ( DKNG ), FanDuel ( FLUT ), B...
Super Bowl LX is setting up to generate record-setting sports betting numbers in the U.S., even as fast-growing prediction markets aggressively push in. The American Gaming Association forecasts that roughly $1.76B in legal wagers will be placed on Super Bowl LX in the U.S. in what will likely be the single biggest betting event on the U.S. sports calendar. DraftKings ( DKNG ), FanDuel ( FLUT ), BetMGM ( MGM ) ( GMVHF ) and Caesars Sportsbook ( CZR ) are battling for market share with aggressive promotional campaigns, same-game parlay options, and extensive live-betting action designed to keep fans engaged throughout the game. Others in the mix include theScore Bet ( PENN ), Bet365, BetRivers ( RSI ), Fanatics Sportsbook ( FANA ), and PointsBet. While online sports betting is still illegal in key states such as California and Texas, prediction markets Kalshi ( KALSHI ) and Polymarket ( POLYMARKET ) are available nationwide. Another key distinction is that anyone over the age of 18 can trade on a prediction market, while most online sportsbooks are required by state regulators to verify that bettors are at least 21 years old. For bettors, online sports betting apps are still seen as providing a slight edge with odds after factoring in promotions. Prediction markets have faced backlash from the American Gaming Association, which has claimed that prediction markets are confusing consumers by promoting sports betting as an investment rather than entertainment. For its part, the NFL has continued its ban on advertisements for prediction markets through the Super Bowl. Leading into the Big Game, FanDuel ( FLUT ) and Kalshi ( KALSHI ) have seen the most momentum with app downloads. Apptopia reported that Kalshi saw a stunning three million downloads in January. As for the game itself, BetMGM ( MGM ) ( GMVHF ) updated Seeking Alpha that the Seattle Seahawks is the betting favorites, with 59% of the handle on moneyline bets and 56% of the handle on bets on the point spread (...
Apple is going to begin a 2026 product blitz with the iPhone 17e, updated iPads and fresh Macs. Also: Here’s exactly what CEO Tim Cook told employees about immigration, artificial intelligence and the company’s 50th anniversary during an all-hands meeting . Lastly, the iPhone maker scales back plans for a major new health service. Last week in Power On : Apple’s historic quarter doesn’t change the...
Apple is going to begin a 2026 product blitz with the iPhone 17e, updated iPads and fresh Macs. Also: Here’s exactly what CEO Tim Cook told employees about immigration, artificial intelligence and the company’s 50th anniversary during an all-hands meeting . Lastly, the iPhone maker scales back plans for a major new health service. Last week in Power On : Apple’s historic quarter doesn’t change the need for an AI reckoning. The Starters Apple Inc. is about to kick off a remarkably busy 2026 with a slew of product releases over the next several weeks. The new iPhone 17e , which replaces the 16e from a year ago, is due imminently. The big changes include the device getting the A19 chip from the iPhone 17 and MagSafe charging. And it’s shifting to Apple’s newest in-house cellular and wireless chips, I can confirm. I’ve also been told that the company is planning to keep pricing the same, at $599, setting up a simple advertising pitch: You’ll get more features for the same cost. Apple will market the 17e heavily to users in emerging economies and enterprises — two areas the company plans to target aggressively this year with both devices and software. Apple also could benefit from weaker competition. Though Alphabet Inc.’s Google is set to release a new version of its low-end model, the Pixel 10a, that upgrade isn’t expected to add much. And Samsung Electronics Co. is focusing more on the high end. Updated iPads are also coming soon, including a refreshed entry-level model and iPad Airs. For those holding out for design changes, though, prepare to be disappointed: There’s little new coming to the iPad family this year other than faster processors. (One exception is the iPad mini, which is moving to an OLED screen .) The entry-level iPad is getting the A18 chip, while the iPad Air is moving to the M4, I’m told. The shift to the A18 in the base-model iPad means that device is getting support for Apple Intelligence for the first time — and this will be a big part of the mar...
is transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Last month, over a dozen automobile and smartphone manufacturers gathered in Palo Alto, California, for the 16th annual “Plugfest,” hosted...
is transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Last month, over a dozen automobile and smartphone manufacturers gathered in Palo Alto, California, for the 16th annual “Plugfest,” hosted by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) to test out the latest in digital key technology. Digital keys, which allow vehicle owners to lock, unlock, and start their cars using smartphones or other digital devices, are becoming more commonplace. And the goal of Plugfest was to provide a place for CCC members — ranging from automakers and smart device manufacturers to cloud providers and chip makers — to come together to test interoperability and real-world performance across vehicles, devices, and wireless technologies. Plugfest is an opportunity for companies that are typically heated rivals to come together in the spirit of cooperation to ensure that digital keys work across different devices and vehicle brands. But the event was also an acknowledgement that as modern cars get more complex, these validation efforts will grow increasingly important to ensure that digital keys can keep pace with the innovation in the auto and smartphone markets. As automakers turn their focus to software-defined vehicles that can receive over-the-air updates and seemingly improve over time, digital keys will need to improve too. Plugfest is an opportunity for companies that are typically heated rivals to come together in the spirit of cooperation to ensure that digital keys work across different devices and vehicle brands “It’s a hard technology problem when you’re trying to resolve wireless access with such fragmented set of device hardware and then device software,” Wassym Bensaid, chief software officer at Rivian, told The Verge. RV Tech, the joint venture between Rivian and Volkswagen, ...
is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about the streaming wars, follow Emma Roth. The Stepb...
is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about the streaming wars, follow Emma Roth. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started From 2019 to around 2021, we were in the midst of a streaming renaissance. Paramount Plus, Disney Plus, Apple TV, Peacock, and HBO Max all made their debuts, challenging the dominance of Netflix and other legacy streamers like Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. New indie streaming services, like the cinephile-focused Criterion Channel, emerged during this time. Subscription prices were still relatively low. Heck, Disney Plus cost just $6.99 without ads at launch (it costs $11.99 with ads now and $18.99 without). Fierce competition in the industry also brought about a slew of original series, like Ted Lasso, The Mandalorian, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, that made services other than Netflix actually worth subscribing to. How it’s going While Netflix has added 25 million more subscribers in 2025 — bringing its global total to 325 million — signups to other services have begun to plateau. Peacock most recently reported adding three million subscribers over the last few months of 2025, while Paramount grew by 1.4 million subs during its third quarter. Disney last said Disney Plus added 1.5 million subscribers in the US and Canada in the three months leading up to November 2025 — but, like Netflix, it has stopped reporting these numbers each quarter. Advertising has also become an even bigger source of revenue for streamers, as companies discover new and annoying ways to bombard you with ads. Data from the market research firm Antenna revealed that 46 percent of people in the US subsc...
In a report released yesterday, Barton Crockett from Rosenblatt Securities maintained a Buy rating on Amazon, with a price target of $296.00. The company’s shares closed yesterday at $210.32. Crockett covers the Communication Services sector, focusing on stocks such as Meta Platforms, Netflix, and Comcast. According to TipRanks, Crockett has an average return of 5.0% and a 54.32% success rate on r...
In a report released yesterday, Barton Crockett from Rosenblatt Securities maintained a Buy rating on Amazon, with a price target of $296.00. The company’s shares closed yesterday at $210.32. Crockett covers the Communication Services sector, focusing on stocks such as Meta Platforms, Netflix, and Comcast. According to TipRanks, Crockett has an average return of 5.0% and a 54.32% success rate on recommended stocks. Currently, the analyst consensus on Amazon is a Strong Buy with an average price target of $283.26, representing a 34.68% upside. In a report released yesterday, Bernstein also maintained a Buy rating on the stock with a $265.00 price target. Based on Amazon’s latest earnings release for the quarter ending December 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $213.39 billion and a net profit of $21.19 billion. In comparison, last year the company earned a revenue of $187.79 billion and had a net profit of $20 billion
Waymo Says Bar Higher Than Human Driving For Autonomy Even As Tesla Says Cameras Are Enough: 'What Does It Take To Build A Safe Product?' - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Benzinga
Waymo Says Bar Higher Than Human Driving For Autonomy Even As Tesla Says Cameras Are Enough: 'What Does It Take To Build A Safe Product?' - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Benzinga
Resting seals and floating Marilyns: photos of the weekend The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Marilyn Monroe lookalikes take part in a swim to raise money for a cancer charity. Photograph: Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock
Resting seals and floating Marilyns: photos of the weekend The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Marilyn Monroe lookalikes take part in a swim to raise money for a cancer charity. Photograph: Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) announced a limited-time offer allowing customers to transfer their Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature to a new Tesla vehicle. FSD Transfer Program Details Tesla stated on its website that the FSD transfer program is available for orders placed by Mar. 31, 2026. Customers interested in this offer must place an order for a new Tesla vehicle by the specified deadline. The trans...
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) announced a limited-time offer allowing customers to transfer their Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature to a new Tesla vehicle. FSD Transfer Program Details Tesla stated on its website that the FSD transfer program is available for orders placed by Mar. 31, 2026. Customers interested in this offer must place an order for a new Tesla vehicle by the specified deadline. The transfer of FSD from an existing vehicle to a new one is permitted, but only the new vehicle will have access to the feature. Eligibility Details To qualify, customers must be the legal owner and registrant of the current vehicle with FSD purchased outright. Both vehicles must be under the same Tesla Account, and all terms and conditions must be agreed upon before delivery. The program is subject to change or termination at any time and cannot be applied retroactively. Vehicles under active lease, business, commercial, or pre-owned orders are not eligible. Additionally, the transferring vehicle must not be involved in any pending cancellation or buyback requests or have outstanding liens or balances. Tesla's FSD Updates This announcement follows a series of updates regarding Tesla’s FSD transfer policies. On January 19, Tesla shared that the free FSD transfer service would conclude at the end of March. Additionally, on January 27, updated the terms for FSD transfers, specifying that customers taking delivery between Apr. 24, 2025, and Mar. 31, 2026, could be eligible for free transfers. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
Key Points IEFA charges a lower expense ratio and nearly doubles the dividend yield of NZAC's. IEFA’s recent one-year return outpaced NZAC, but both saw similar five-year drawdowns. 10 stocks we like better than iShares Trust - iShares Core Msci Eafe ETF › The State Street SPDR MSCI ACWI Climate Paris Aligned ETF (NASDAQ:NZAC) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEMKT:IEFA) are popular options for i...
Key Points IEFA charges a lower expense ratio and nearly doubles the dividend yield of NZAC's. IEFA’s recent one-year return outpaced NZAC, but both saw similar five-year drawdowns. 10 stocks we like better than iShares Trust - iShares Core Msci Eafe ETF › The State Street SPDR MSCI ACWI Climate Paris Aligned ETF (NASDAQ:NZAC) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEMKT:IEFA) are popular options for investors seeking diversified international exposure, but their approaches and underlying holdings differ materially. This comparison explores whether the broad, climate-focused NZAC or the developed-market, cost-efficient IEFA makes more sense for a given portfolio. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric NZAC IEFA Issuer SPDR IShares Expense ratio 0.12% 0.07% 1-yr return (as of Feb. 7, 2026) 15.11% 28.70% Dividend yield 1.88% 3.32% Beta 1.05 0.79 AUM $182.12 million $171.77 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. IEFA looks more affordable, charging 0.07% annually versus NZAC’s 0.12%, and delivers a higher dividend yield at 3.4% compared to NZAC’s 1.9%, a notable gap for income-focused investors. Performance & risk comparison Metric NZAC IEFA Max drawdown (5 y) -28.29% -30.41% Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,499 $1,353 What's inside IEFA tracks developed markets outside the U.S. and Canada, offering access to 2,589 holdings, with financial services (22%), industrials (20%), and healthcare (11%) as the top sectors. Its largest positions include ASML Holding N.V. (AMS:ASML.AS), Roche Holding AG (SIX:ROG.SW), and HSBC Holdings Plc (LSE:HSBA.L). With a 13-year track record, its international focus tends to lean towards companies in Europe and Asia. NZAC targets companies that meet climate-aligned criteria, providing investors with exposure to efforts to reduce climate risks. It holds 729 stocks, with technology accounting for 32% of assets, foll...
Palantir Technologies has evolved from a shadowy defense contractor into a full-stack decision-intelligence platform. Here is how its software stack now competes, scales, and shapes the company’s valuation. The New Arms Race: Turning Raw Data into Real Decisions For years, Palantir Technologies was shorthand for secretive government analytics, a company whispered about in the same breath as intell...
Palantir Technologies has evolved from a shadowy defense contractor into a full-stack decision-intelligence platform. Here is how its software stack now competes, scales, and shapes the company’s valuation. The New Arms Race: Turning Raw Data into Real Decisions For years, Palantir Technologies was shorthand for secretive government analytics, a company whispered about in the same breath as intelligence agencies and black budgets. Today, it has become something much larger: a full-stack decision-intelligence platform used by banks, automakers, pharmaceutical giants, and sprawling industrial conglomerates that all share the same pain point — a flood of data, and almost no ability to act on it fast enough. That is the core problem Palantir Technologies is built to solve. Enterprises have cloud warehouses, lakes, and lakes-of-lakes. They have dashboards. They have machine learning projects. What they often lack is an operational layer that unifies those pieces into something business users and frontline operators can actually use to run factories, fight fraud, plan logistics, or respond to geopolitical shocks. Palantir’s product suite — led by Palantir Foundry for commercial users, Palantir Gotham for governments, and Apollo as the deployment backbone — positions the company not as yet another analytics vendor, but as a sort of operating system for data-driven decision-making. In an era where every enterprise claims to be "AI-first," Palantir Technologies is trying to own the stack that makes that claim real. Get all details on Palantir Technologies here Inside the Flagship: Palantir Technologies Palantir Technologies is not a single monolithic product, but a tightly integrated platform of three pillars: Gotham, Foundry, and Apollo, increasingly wrapped with Palantir’s AI Platform (AIP). Together, they aim to turn complex, messy, security-sensitive data into live applications, workflows, and AI copilots that sit directly in front of analysts, managers, and operators. P...