400tmax/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images By Ezequiel Gomes Alphabet ( GOOG ) shares extended their recovery on Tuesday, March 17, as the stock climbed toward $307 following a successful defense of the $300 psychological floor. Market participants are increasingly looking past the initial sticker shock of the company’s 2026 capital expenditure guidance, focusing instead on the revenue potential o...
400tmax/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images By Ezequiel Gomes Alphabet ( GOOG ) shares extended their recovery on Tuesday, March 17, as the stock climbed toward $307 following a successful defense of the $300 psychological floor. Market participants are increasingly looking past the initial sticker shock of the company’s 2026 capital expenditure guidance, focusing instead on the revenue potential of its integrated AI stack and the recent completion of the Wiz acquisition. The technical profile for Alphabet has improved significantly over the last 48 hours as the stock distanced itself from the $300 support zone. This level had functioned as a critical line of defense during last week’s pullback, and the decisive bounce on Monday and Tuesday suggests that accumulation is occurring at these levels. The move through $305 has shifted the short-term bias from neutral to cautiously bullish, with the next overhead objective appearing in the $310-312 range. Momentum oscillators are beginning to turn higher, indicating that the recent "repair job" is transitioning into a more structured recovery. While the stock remains below its earlier 2026 highs near $330, the current consolidation above $304 provides a base for further upside attempts. A sustained close above $310 would likely signal that the market has fully priced in the current spending cycle, whereas a retreat back toward $300 would suggest a return to range-bound activity. Alphabet price dynamics (February-March 2026) (Source: TradingView) Strategic execution offsets margin concerns Sentiment around Alphabet is being shaped by a massive 2026 investment plan that projects capital expenditures between $175 billion and $185 billion. While the scale of this spending initially weighed on the valuation, the narrative is shifting toward the tangible growth seen in the Google Cloud division. With cloud revenue expanding and the Gemini AI model seeing rapid adoption across Workspace and Search, the heavy spending is increasin...
European natural gas prices are rising as Iran steps up attacks on energy infrastructure around the Persian Gulf. Gas supply disruptions come just a few weeks before the official start of Europe's stockpiling season. The region is coming out of winter with depleted gas tanks and will have to buy more LNG this summer to refill the facilities. Bloomberg's Priscila Azevedo Rocha breaks down the situa...
European natural gas prices are rising as Iran steps up attacks on energy infrastructure around the Persian Gulf. Gas supply disruptions come just a few weeks before the official start of Europe's stockpiling season. The region is coming out of winter with depleted gas tanks and will have to buy more LNG this summer to refill the facilities. Bloomberg's Priscila Azevedo Rocha breaks down the situation. (Source: Bloomberg)
You'll often hear that it's very difficult to live on Social Security benefits alone in retirement. And if your monthly payday is similar to the average retirement benefit today, that may be the case. The average Social Security retirement benefit as of February 2026 is about $2,076. On the other hand, Social Security's maximum monthly benefit in 2026 is $5,251. When we multiply $2,076 by 12 month...
You'll often hear that it's very difficult to live on Social Security benefits alone in retirement. And if your monthly payday is similar to the average retirement benefit today, that may be the case. The average Social Security retirement benefit as of February 2026 is about $2,076. On the other hand, Social Security's maximum monthly benefit in 2026 is $5,251. When we multiply $2,076 by 12 months, we get an annual income of about $25,000. But when multiply the program's max monthly benefit by 12, we get about $63,000. By the time some people reach retirement, their homes are paid off, they don't have debt, and their needs are fairly minimal. So it would be pretty fair to say that it's possible to live on Social Security alone if the program is paying you $63,000 a year. But claiming Social Security's maximum monthly benefit is not an easy thing to do. There are three steps you need to take to score that benefit, and one of them in particular may be out of your hands. The three steps to scoring the highest possible Social Security benefit If you want Social Security's highest monthly benefit, you need to do these three things: Work for at least 35 years Delay your claim until age 70 Earn the equivalent of the annual Social Security wage cap or more for 35 years Working 35 years is pretty doable if you get your first job in your 20s. That even allows for a few years off by the time you reach age 62, which is the earliest age you can claim Social Security. Delaying Social Security is also reasonably doable. Granted, you may have to keep working until age 70 to file at that point. But if you're willing to make the effort, it may be possible. It's that final step that may be difficult, simply because you may not be in an industry or position that pays a very high salary for 35 years. This year, the Social Security wage cap is $184,500. Last year, it was $176,100. Even if you're excellent at what you do, if higher-level positions in your field max out at $150,000 a year...
VectorFusionArt/iStock via Getty Images Performance Review For the quarter, the fund's Retail Class shares gained 4.97%, handily topping the 2.66% advance of the benchmark, the S&P 500® index. Stocks extended a historically fast rebound that began in early April, but at a slower pace. The advance has been supported by strong corporate fundamentals, a resilient economy, an ongoing boom in spending ...
VectorFusionArt/iStock via Getty Images Performance Review For the quarter, the fund's Retail Class shares gained 4.97%, handily topping the 2.66% advance of the benchmark, the S&P 500® index. Stocks extended a historically fast rebound that began in early April, but at a slower pace. The advance has been supported by strong corporate fundamentals, a resilient economy, an ongoing boom in spending on artificial intelligence and the Federal Reserve's first interest-rate reductions since December 2024. The past three months, we continued to favor firms we believe have attractive earnings and dividend-yield potential for the next two to three years. Importantly, given our focus, longer-term performance comparisons favor the fund over the benchmark and the Morningstar peer group average. Stocks entered October on an uptrend, but with the federal government in a shutdown that would last until November 12. Equities rose nonetheless, boosted by earnings momentum and a constructive expansionary backdrop. On October 29, the central bank lowered its benchmark federal funds rate by 0.25 percentage points at its second consecutive meeting, as it looked to balance a recent slowdown in hiring and inflation running higher than its 2% target. The S&P 500® rose 2.34% for the month. Momentum faded a bit in November (+0.25%), as stocks weathered the shutdown and a brief mid-month sell-off that mostly reflected concern about an AI bubble. However, the focus returned to a U.S. economy largely driven by massive AI-related outlays by big tech. Meanwhile, the Fed cut rates by another quarter point on December 10. The index achieved a record close on Christmas Eve before a sluggish final week resulted in a flattish gain for the month, a 17.88% rise for the year and a 38.65% increase since the low on April 8. In the fourth quarter, the index's narrow advance was driven by the defensive-oriented health care sector (+12%), which particularly shined in November. The growth-oriented communication...
Japan ’s inbound tourism numbers returned to growth in February, as an increase from other regions made up for a continued slump in Chinese tourists. Total inbound arrivals rose 6.4% last month after a contraction in January, Japan National Tourism Organization data showed Wednesday. Visitors from South Korea rose 28%, while arrivals from the major markets of Taiwan, Hong Kong and the US also incr...
Japan ’s inbound tourism numbers returned to growth in February, as an increase from other regions made up for a continued slump in Chinese tourists. Total inbound arrivals rose 6.4% last month after a contraction in January, Japan National Tourism Organization data showed Wednesday. Visitors from South Korea rose 28%, while arrivals from the major markets of Taiwan, Hong Kong and the US also increased. Strong visitor growth from other markets helped offset the decline in Chinese arrivals, which were down about 45% year-on-year. That’s an improvement from January’s 61% drop and broadly in line with December’s 45% decline. The rebound underscores a broader resilience in Japan’s inbound travel sector, even as Chinese visitors continue to stay away. The earlier downturn was triggered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ’s remarks late last year that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could be considered an “existential threat” to Japan, potentially justifying military deployment. Beijing responded by warning citizens against traveling to Japan, leading to widespread flight cancellations through March 2026. Japan’s retail sector continues to feel the strain. Duty-free sales at major department stores continued their fall in February, highlighting prolonged weakness. Chinese tourists have been central to Japan’s post-Covid recovery, accounting for about a fifth of ¥9.6 trillion ($60.3 billion) in tourism revenue in 2025. The deterioration in ties have exposed Japan’s reliance on China as vulnerability, intensifying its efforts to diversify its visitor base. Japan’s leading travel agency JTB Corp. forecasts annual foreign tourist arrivals will decline this year for the first time since the country reopened its borders after the pandemic, projecting 41.5 million visitors. The forecast was made before the outbreak of conflict in Middle East. Meanwhile, the number of Japanese traveling abroad fell by 7.4%. The government is targeting 60 million inbound visitors and ¥15 trill...
Hello Group press release ( MOMO ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPADS of $0.24 beats by $0.02 . Revenue of $368.3M (-2.3% Y/Y) beats by $5.14M . For the Momo app total paying users was 3.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to 5.7 million for the same period last year, and 3.7 million from last quarter. Tantan had 0.6 million paying users for the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to 0.9 million from t...
Hello Group press release ( MOMO ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPADS of $0.24 beats by $0.02 . Revenue of $368.3M (-2.3% Y/Y) beats by $5.14M . For the Momo app total paying users was 3.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to 5.7 million for the same period last year, and 3.7 million from last quarter. Tantan had 0.6 million paying users for the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to 0.9 million from the year ago period and 0.7 million from last quarter. Net cash provided by operating activities in the fourth quarter of 2025 was RMB549.7 million (US$78.6 million), compared to RMB423.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. Business Outlook For the first quarter of 2026, the Company expects total net revenues to be between RMB2.3 billion to RMB2.4 billion, representing a decrease of 8.8% to 4.8% year over year. More on Hello Group Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Hello Group Historical earnings data for Hello Group Dividend scorecard for Hello Group Financial information for Hello Group
Ormat Technologies ( ORA ) is raising up to $975.7M through private convertible notes due 2031, including $725M in 1.50% Series A notes and $150M in 0% Series B notes, up from its earlier $750M plan, with an option for investors to buy an additional $125M. The offering is expected to close on March 20, 2026. Each series of notes will mature on March 15, 2031, unless earlier converted, redeemed, or...
Ormat Technologies ( ORA ) is raising up to $975.7M through private convertible notes due 2031, including $725M in 1.50% Series A notes and $150M in 0% Series B notes, up from its earlier $750M plan, with an option for investors to buy an additional $125M. The offering is expected to close on March 20, 2026. Each series of notes will mature on March 15, 2031, unless earlier converted, redeemed, or repurchased in accordance with its terms prior to such date. Both the Series A and Series B notes can be converted into 7.1225 shares per $1,000, implying a conversion price of about $140.40 per share, which is roughly a 30% premium to Ormat’s stock price on March 17, 2026. Ormat ( ORA ) expects to generate about $853.6M in net proceeds (up to $975.7M if options are fully exercised) and plans to use roughly $287.9M plus $25M in cash on hand and 0.6M shares to repurchase $285.9M of its 2027 notes, $25M to buy back stock at $108 per share, and the remainder for general corporate purposes, partly to offset dilution from the 2027 notes. Such share repurchases and the use of cash on hand are intended to offset a portion of the dilutive effect of the 2027 notes. Source: Press Release More on Ormat Technologies Ormat Technologies, Inc. 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Ormat Technologies, Inc. (ORA) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Ormat plans $750 million convertible notes offering to refinance debt, fund buybacks Mid-Cap utility stocks ranked by quant ratings after earnings season Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Ormat Technologies
Lemonade Inc. (NYSE:LMND) is one of the 10 Stocks That Made Millionaires Today. Lemonade rallied for a third straight day on Tuesday, soaring 15.81 percent to finish at $66.87 apiece, as investors took heart from Morgan Stanley’s rating and price target upgrade for its stock. In a market note, the investment firm upgraded its rating for Lemonade Inc. (NYSE:LMND) to “overweight” from “equal weight,...
Lemonade Inc. (NYSE:LMND) is one of the 10 Stocks That Made Millionaires Today. Lemonade rallied for a third straight day on Tuesday, soaring 15.81 percent to finish at $66.87 apiece, as investors took heart from Morgan Stanley’s rating and price target upgrade for its stock. In a market note, the investment firm upgraded its rating for Lemonade Inc. (NYSE:LMND) to “overweight” from “equal weight,” alongside a 6 percent higher price target of $85 versus $80 prior. A Tesla car. Photo from Tesla website Even with the rally during the day, the new price target still marked a 27 percent upside potential from Lemonade Inc.’s (NYSE:LMND) latest closing price. According to Morgan Stanley, the upgrade reflected its optimism for the company following its first-mover advantage to insure autonomous driving. Lemonade Inc. (NYSE:LMND) in January this year unveiled a car insurance for autonomous vehicles, beginning with Tesla’s full self-driving (FSD) vehicles. The new offering also cuts per-mile rates for FSD-engaged driving by approximately 50 percent, reflecting what the data shows to be significantly reduced risk during autonomous operation. Lemonade expects further reductions as Tesla releases FSD software updates, which are anticipated to make the cars even safer over time. According to Morgan Stanley, the said product “positions Lemonade as an early mover in the autonomous vehicle insurance market.” It said that it sees further growth momentum tied to improving technology that leads to more savings for customers. While we acknowledge the potential of LMND as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosu...
Earnings Call Insights: ZTO Express (ZTO) Q4 2025 Management View Chairman and CEO Meisong Lai reported that "ZTO maintained its industry-leading service quality during the quarter, with parcel volume reaching 10.56 billion, an increase of 9.2% over last year, and our market share expanded by 0.8 percentage points." He highlighted an adjusted net income of RMB 2.69 billion and affirmed that "ZTO c...
Earnings Call Insights: ZTO Express (ZTO) Q4 2025 Management View Chairman and CEO Meisong Lai reported that "ZTO maintained its industry-leading service quality during the quarter, with parcel volume reaching 10.56 billion, an increase of 9.2% over last year, and our market share expanded by 0.8 percentage points." He highlighted an adjusted net income of RMB 2.69 billion and affirmed that "ZTO continued to lead the industry in both scale and profitability." Lai noted that the annual retail parcel volume grew by 46% year-over-year, with daily retail volume nearing 10 million parcels in Q4. He emphasized that product mix optimization enhanced brand recognition, core revenue growth, and offset the impact from volume-based subsidies. Lai further outlined four top priorities for the next stage: upholding service quality, advancing cost efficiency, optimizing network policies and incentives, and safeguarding fairness for partners and couriers. CFO Huiping Yan stated, "Total revenue increased 12.3% to RMB 14.5 billion in Q4 and increased 10.9% to RMB 49.1 billion for the year." Yan added, "ASP for our core express delivery business increased by 2.9% or RMB 0.03 in Q4," attributing this primarily to a "RMB 0.15 positive contribution from an improved mix in KA volume" and offset by higher volume incentives. Yan reported "operating cash flow surged 50.6% to RMB 4.2 billion in Q4 and reached RMB 12 billion for the year, excluding the RMB 850 million one-time franchise deposit refunds under the new business policy in Q4 last year." She announced a semi-annual cash dividend of USD 0.39 per ASD and the launch of a new 24-month $1.5 billion share buyback program through March 2028, with a company target for annual shareholder returns from 2026 of no less than 50% of adjusted net income. Outlook Yan provided guidance for 2026, anticipating parcel volume growth of 10% to 13% year-over-year, translating to "an annual parcel volume between RMB 42.37 billion and RMB 43.52 billion." S...