gabetcarlson/iStock via Getty Images Today, we venture back to the world of net lease real estate, the core of REITer’s Digest. Recently, we have discussed the re-emergence of net lease as interest begins to return to long leased assets. The stable cash flows backed by long-term triple net leases makes net lease an increasingly attractive asset class to large institutional investors like Starwood ...
gabetcarlson/iStock via Getty Images Today, we venture back to the world of net lease real estate, the core of REITer’s Digest. Recently, we have discussed the re-emergence of net lease as interest begins to return to long leased assets. The stable cash flows backed by long-term triple net leases makes net lease an increasingly attractive asset class to large institutional investors like Starwood Property Trust ( STWD ), who recently dove into the sector. My coverage has largely centered around the sector’s outperformance of the broader market year to date, explaining why some participants have outperformed others. Data by YCharts Today, we will revisit Essential Properties Realty Trust ( EPRT ), one of the fastest growing net lease REITs. This article will follow up on my prior coverage , discuss Q1 earnings, and explain why this top performer has been lagging the broader net lease market in 2026. Review of Prior Coverage EPRT has been one of my more covered companies on Seeking Alpha. As a top performer in the net lease sector, my prior coverage of the fund typically includes a deep dive into some piece of the business model. Recently, this included examining the sale lease back heavy acquisition strategy, which included partnering with sponsored businesses that are growing. This explains why a large portion of the portfolio is allocated towards service properties, most notoriously carwashes. EPRT However, going beyond the brick and border real estate, my coverage of EPRT has highlighted how a younger REIT can often outperform some of the more mature competitors when the business model is applied correctly. Prior discussions have drawn parallels between EPRT and STORE Capital, one of the more successful net lease stories. The net lease business model is relatively straightforward, but it comes in many shapes and sizes. EPRT is a company that sort of acts more as a lender than a landlord, inking 20 year leases with tenants that occupy specialized real estate. This ...
Google's standout stock performance faces one big question: Can Alphabet monetize its huge artificial intelligence investments and build a profitable Gemini road map?
Google's standout stock performance faces one big question: Can Alphabet monetize its huge artificial intelligence investments and build a profitable Gemini road map?
It's a good time to be a semiconductor company, with IBD's Chip sector up 45% so far this year. Broadcom, one of the top-rated chip names, just gave investors another reason to consider the stock. The chip designer and infrastructure software provider owns an important chunk of the market for artificial intelligence chips.
It's a good time to be a semiconductor company, with IBD's Chip sector up 45% so far this year. Broadcom, one of the top-rated chip names, just gave investors another reason to consider the stock. The chip designer and infrastructure software provider owns an important chunk of the market for artificial intelligence chips.
Executive order to speed access to psychedelic treatments likely to have limited legal impact despite high-profile push The Trump administration issued an executive order earlier this month to accelerate access to psychedelic medication for people with “serious mental illnesses,” but experts say the order is more likely to make a difference symbolically than legally. “Policymakers and the medical ...
Executive order to speed access to psychedelic treatments likely to have limited legal impact despite high-profile push The Trump administration issued an executive order earlier this month to accelerate access to psychedelic medication for people with “serious mental illnesses,” but experts say the order is more likely to make a difference symbolically than legally. “Policymakers and the medical field have long struggled to address the burden of suicide and serious mental illness rates in America,” the order reads, noting that some people do not respond to available treatments. Continue reading...
A delicate, elegant and aromatic sour that’s a bit like a floral white lady A delicate, elegant and aromatic sour with notes of floral jasmine tea balanced by bright citrus, making it fresh and perfect for spring. By all means make double or triple the infused gin, if you like, because it also works beautifully in an elevated jasmine gin and tonic (plenty of ice, quality tonic and a lemon twist), ...
A delicate, elegant and aromatic sour that’s a bit like a floral white lady A delicate, elegant and aromatic sour with notes of floral jasmine tea balanced by bright citrus, making it fresh and perfect for spring. By all means make double or triple the infused gin, if you like, because it also works beautifully in an elevated jasmine gin and tonic (plenty of ice, quality tonic and a lemon twist), or stirred into a simple floral martini with a splash of dry vermouth, or lengthened into a light spring spritz topped with sparkling wine and a dash of soda. Fredi Viaud, bar manager, Julie’s , London W11 Continue reading...
He is not a programme-maker or a politician, but he must rapidly develop a feel for both disciplines – and the stakes could not be higher This panel comprises extracts from Letters to Matt Brittin: The New Director-General of the BBC , edited by John Mair and Andrew Beck, and original material Continue reading...
He is not a programme-maker or a politician, but he must rapidly develop a feel for both disciplines – and the stakes could not be higher This panel comprises extracts from Letters to Matt Brittin: The New Director-General of the BBC , edited by John Mair and Andrew Beck, and original material Continue reading...
Lucy O’Brien was shocked when she discovered how high interest rates were leading to ballooning debt Like many of my drowning-in-debt “plan 2” student loan comrades, I didn’t think twice about diving straight into a master’s degree, bright-eyed and fresh out of my undergraduate course in 2021. To say I was naive to the additional financial burden would be an understatement. Even less did I think t...
Lucy O’Brien was shocked when she discovered how high interest rates were leading to ballooning debt Like many of my drowning-in-debt “plan 2” student loan comrades, I didn’t think twice about diving straight into a master’s degree, bright-eyed and fresh out of my undergraduate course in 2021. To say I was naive to the additional financial burden would be an understatement. Even less did I think that, four years after finishing my master’s, I’d be using the savings money I’ve built up – which I’d planned to put towards a deposit to buy my first property – to pay back my postgraduate loan in full. And yet here I am. Continue reading...
Banning an industry that is brutal to animals could be one of the most consequential public-health measures in decades Every year, millions of captive animals are gassed or electrocuted and then turned into multithousand-dollar fur coats. Though the industry has shrunk considerably in recent years, it poses a disproportionately large risk to human health. There’s a real chance that the next pandem...
Banning an industry that is brutal to animals could be one of the most consequential public-health measures in decades Every year, millions of captive animals are gassed or electrocuted and then turned into multithousand-dollar fur coats. Though the industry has shrunk considerably in recent years, it poses a disproportionately large risk to human health. There’s a real chance that the next pandemic could be incubated within the cramped confines of a fur farm, and banning the cruel and senseless practice could be one of the most consequential public-health measures in decades. Fur farms are hell. Like other “factory” farms, these facilities confine thousands of animals in close quarters, crammed into tiny wire cages . Often, the animals can barely move around , living out their sad, stationary lives atop a pool of their own waste. Some species, like red foxes, begin chewing the tails off of their young, or even killing them. Neil Vora is the executive director of the Preventing Pandemics at the Source Coalition and led New York City’s Covid-19 contact tracing program from 2020 to 2021 Continue reading...
To get John Authers’ newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, sign up here . Kevin Warsh is not prepared to say that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election . Senator Elizabeth Warren calls him a “sock puppet” and wants to know much more about his $150 million fortune. Warsh wants to maintain the Federal Reserve’s freedom to set monetary policy but concedes that the central bank is “independent in...
To get John Authers’ newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, sign up here . Kevin Warsh is not prepared to say that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election . Senator Elizabeth Warren calls him a “sock puppet” and wants to know much more about his $150 million fortune. Warsh wants to maintain the Federal Reserve’s freedom to set monetary policy but concedes that the central bank is “independent inside of government, not independent of government.” Those were the main points from Warsh’s confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Banking Committee. An able politician, he deftly threaded the needle to satisfy a president who wants a subservient Fed and a market for which an independent central bank is a sine qua non . With the Department of Justice continuing its nakedly political investigation of incumbent Jerome Powell over the Fed’s expensive renovation, and Senator Thom Tillis threatening to hold up Warsh’s confirmation until the case is abandoned, the hearing seemed almost beside the point. There were, however, clear signs that the Fed’s role will evolve under the remaining 33 months of the Trump administration. The dry details are not the stuff of all-capitals tweets from President Trump — but the outlines of a future in which monetary policy is more and more controlled by the Treasury Department can be clearly discerned. A Treasury-Fed Accord Senators never asked Warsh what he had meant in a CNBC interview last year when he urged a “new Treasury-Fed Accord.” The first, in 1951 (discussed here ), gave the Fed independence to set rates after years when they had been held low by the Treasury to help repay war debts. With the Fed and Treasury again at “cross-purposes,” Warsh wanted an accord in which The Fed chair and the Treasury secretary can describe to markets plainly and with deliberation, “This is our objective for the size of the Fed's balance sheet.” If that sounds like a surrender of independence, it’s only because the Fed shouldn’t be making policy throu...
The undercroft at London’s Southbank Centre has been a haven for skateboarders since the 1970s. Now a new exhibition is celebrating its contribution to culture – and community Shane O’Brien first skated at London’s Southbank Centre in the summer of 1975, at the age of 10. But before he could call himself a “Southbanker”, a regular of the famous spot, he had to face a certain ritual. In 1983 he was...
The undercroft at London’s Southbank Centre has been a haven for skateboarders since the 1970s. Now a new exhibition is celebrating its contribution to culture – and community Shane O’Brien first skated at London’s Southbank Centre in the summer of 1975, at the age of 10. But before he could call himself a “Southbanker”, a regular of the famous spot, he had to face a certain ritual. In 1983 he was launched into the Thames by senior skaters and could finally consider himself one of the crew. Now in his 60s, O’Brien calls the South Bank his second home. The skate spot at the Southbank Centre was created by accident. When the centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall was built in the 1960s, the architects left a space, or undercroft, beneath the building open to the public. The space featured concrete ledges and ramps, features that were utilised by local skateboarders in the mid-1970s – the spot has been skated ever since. If you’re in the area on the south-east side of the Thames in central London, you may not see the skaters right away. You will, however, always hear them. Continue reading...
He is one of the most chilling actors around. Yet Matthew Rhys is now playing a Basil Fawlty type in comedy horror Widow’s Bay. He talks about fluffing his James Bond audition, unzipping in Girls – and why he almost jacked in acting to join the army ‘What an absolute twat!” cries Matthew Rhys, clutching his face in both hands. He has just been reminded of a remark he made in 2000, when he was play...
He is one of the most chilling actors around. Yet Matthew Rhys is now playing a Basil Fawlty type in comedy horror Widow’s Bay. He talks about fluffing his James Bond audition, unzipping in Girls – and why he almost jacked in acting to join the army ‘What an absolute twat!” cries Matthew Rhys, clutching his face in both hands. He has just been reminded of a remark he made in 2000, when he was playing the Dustin Hoffman role in the West End stage version of The Graduate. He was 25, not long out of Rada, and was asked if he could imagine being middle-aged like his Mrs Robinson, Kathleen Turner, who was 45 at the time. His response? “Yes – and it’s frightening. I wonder – will I still be acting?” Perhaps the “frightening” part merits derision. But acting is a precarious business, so no wonder he questioned his career’s potential longevity. “It is precarious,” he says, grateful for the off-ramp. He is wearing a black T-shirt and speaking over video call from the Brooklyn home he shares with the actor Keri Russell, their 10-year-old son and her two teenage children from a previous marriage. “It was after The Graduate that I had my longest stretch out of work. I thought I’d made it, and then I was like, ‘Nope’.” His prospects were so dire back then that he applied to join the army, only to be rejected by a recruiting officer convinced that he was merely researching a role. “I remember him looking down my CV at the list of acting jobs and saying: ‘I’m very confused …’” Continue reading...
More than 50 restaurants and shops have joined a “tourism everywhere” initiative to promote Hong Kong’s bustling Central district among residents and tourists and boost local spending. The Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association on Friday revealed the programme to promote hidden delicacies and goods in Central, aligning with the government’s objective to turn everywhere into a tourist d...
More than 50 restaurants and shops have joined a “tourism everywhere” initiative to promote Hong Kong’s bustling Central district among residents and tourists and boost local spending. The Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association on Friday revealed the programme to promote hidden delicacies and goods in Central, aligning with the government’s objective to turn everywhere into a tourist destination. The initiative runs from May 1 until the end of June, with the first five days...
Australian mining giant BHP’s decision to adopt a yuan-denominated index for a major Chinese buyer poses a challenge to the US dollar’s long-standing dominance in iron ore pricing, delivering a hard-won victory for Beijing, analysts said. But while the agreement marked a breakthrough in Beijing’s push to gain greater commodity pricing power at a time when the United States faces growing “geopoliti...
Australian mining giant BHP’s decision to adopt a yuan-denominated index for a major Chinese buyer poses a challenge to the US dollar’s long-standing dominance in iron ore pricing, delivering a hard-won victory for Beijing, analysts said. But while the agreement marked a breakthrough in Beijing’s push to gain greater commodity pricing power at a time when the United States faces growing “geopolitical isolation”, analysts stressed that its broader efforts to reshape the old order remained far...
Investing.com -- Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) shares rose 12% Friday, while Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM) gained 8%, following growing anticipation that the artificial intelligence boom for CPUs has arrived.
Investing.com -- Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) shares rose 12% Friday, while Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM) gained 8%, following growing anticipation that the artificial intelligence boom for CPUs has arrived.
In this article GOOGL MSFT ARM NBIS META AMZN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg attends the UFC 326 event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 7, 2026. Chris Unger | Ufc | Getty Images Around 3.6 billion people use Meta's applications every day, and the social networking company will be operating 32 data centers to handle the load with the completion of a ...
In this article GOOGL MSFT ARM NBIS META AMZN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg attends the UFC 326 event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 7, 2026. Chris Unger | Ufc | Getty Images Around 3.6 billion people use Meta's applications every day, and the social networking company will be operating 32 data centers to handle the load with the completion of a new one in Oklahoma. But that's not enough. Amazon's cloud unit said Friday that Meta has agreed to use Amazon's general-purpose Graviton chips in a deal that will run for at least three years. The arrangement demonstrates Meta's willingness under CEO Mark Zuckerberg to splurge so it can meet high computing demand, alongside technology peers such as Alphabet and Microsoft . In recent weeks Meta has signed deals worth a combined $48 billion with CoreWeave and Nebius , both of which rent out access to Nvidia graphics processing units, or GPUs, that run AI models. Amazon didn't disclose the value of its Meta deal. Meta is counterbalancing infrastructure expansions with head count reductions. On Thursday the company announced plans to lay off around 8,000 employees , or 10% of its workforce. Unlike Nvidia GPUs, Arm -based Graviton processors from top cloud Amazon Web Services can take care of a wide assortment of computing tasks, similar to Intel's or AMD's central processing units, or CPUs. But Graviton can still come in handy for AI workloads, specifically for refinements, or post-training, after models have been trained with large amounts of data using large-scale computing clusters. "Graviton is one of the most used platforms for pre training by a lot of foundation model companies, and Meta is now one the newest one," said Nafea Bshara, an AWS vice president and distinguished engineer. Bshara co-founded chip company Annapurna Labs, which Amazon acquired in 2015. Since then, Amazon has developed special-purpose chips for training and running AI models, among other components...
A data center owned by Amazon Web Services, front right, is under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick, Pennsylvania, Jan. 14, 2025. Ted Shaffrey | AP The AI-driven data center boom in Pennsylvania — which includes a $20 billion investment from Amazon — is leading to political angst in districts in the Keystone State that could help decide control of the U.S. House. ...
A data center owned by Amazon Web Services, front right, is under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick, Pennsylvania, Jan. 14, 2025. Ted Shaffrey | AP The AI-driven data center boom in Pennsylvania — which includes a $20 billion investment from Amazon — is leading to political angst in districts in the Keystone State that could help decide control of the U.S. House. The four competitive House races are in the eastern part of the state, where Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro is focusing his data center expansion plans. Republicans represent all four districts and are looking to not only hold on to their own seats in November's election but to retain control of the House, where the party holds a five-seat majority. Political analysts say the data center dynamic could harm incumbents, who will take the brunt of public backlash for unpopular development. All four districts are considered in play by the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, which rates every congressional race . The 7th, 8th and 10th Districts are all listed as "toss-ups" by the Cook Report. Cook rates the 1st District — in Bucks County, north of Philadelphia — as "likely Republican," so it's also considered to be in play. It's represented by Brian Fitzpatrick and is set to see construction from Amazon's infusion of cash. Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion in Allentown, Pennsylvania, said bipartisan backlash around data centers has further complicated an already difficult environment for Republicans in competitive districts. "They're really caught between counteracting forces," he said. "A lot of these folks are in uncomfortable, challenging positions to begin with, and [the issue of] data centers has layered another challenge." Borick said a rise in data center opposition has created a tightrope for Republican incumbents to walk as they aim to balance President Donald Trump 's energy agenda and need to support AI growth with their con...
Andrii Dodonov/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Eagle Point Income Company Inc. ( EIC ) invests in Collateralized Loan Obligations, known as CLOs, which comes with this definition: CLOs are securities backed by a pool of debt, typically corporate loans with low credit ratings, which are divided into different tranches to appeal to various investor risk appetites. CLOs are divided into debt tra...
Andrii Dodonov/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Eagle Point Income Company Inc. ( EIC ) invests in Collateralized Loan Obligations, known as CLOs, which comes with this definition: CLOs are securities backed by a pool of debt, typically corporate loans with low credit ratings, which are divided into different tranches to appeal to various investor risk appetites. CLOs are divided into debt tranches and equity tranches, with debt tranches being paid first and carrying lower risk, while equity tranches offer higher potential returns but come with higher risk as they are paid out last. CLOs are actively managed, allowing managers to buy and sell loans within the pool, which aims to optimize returns and minimize losses, offering diversity and potential for higher-than-average yields to investors. Historically, CLO tranches have experienced lower default rates than corporate bonds, but they remain complex and are generally suited for large institutional investors due to inherent risks. The creation of a CLO involves establishing a capital structure, raising capital, purchasing loans, and managing a special purpose vehicle to protect investors, culminating in repayment structured by tranches. Source: investopedia . I last wrote about the term preferred offered by Eagle Point Income shortly after they issued their third one ( article link ). Here, I review the remaining one, the Eagle Point Income Company Inc 5.0% Series A Term Preferred Stock due 10/31/2026 ( EICA ) as both the Eagle Point Income Company Inc 7.75% Series B Term Preferred Stock due 2028 (EICB) and the Eagle Point Income Company Inc.8.0% Series C Term Preferred Stock Due 04/30/2029 (EICC) were redeemed since then, which I take as a sign of corporate financial strength. The difference between preferred and term preferred is the second come with a termination, or maturity, date. It is also classified as debt on the balance sheet. While a secure 5% yield and YTM, I think most investors would be willing to ...
tang90246/iStock Editorial via Getty Images It was probably one of the industry’s biggest open secrets that Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL ) Tim Cook wanted to create a streaming service. And for years there were always long-standing rumors that one was in development. Yes, first came Apple TV – the device – but that really didn’t scratch the itch Cook had long been enamored with over his time as CEO. Coll...
tang90246/iStock Editorial via Getty Images It was probably one of the industry’s biggest open secrets that Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL ) Tim Cook wanted to create a streaming service. And for years there were always long-standing rumors that one was in development. Yes, first came Apple TV – the device – but that really didn’t scratch the itch Cook had long been enamored with over his time as CEO. Collecting other network’s programming into one box was a workaround at the time - but it's no substitute for creating your own. And so in 2019, it came to pass that Apple TV+ would launch. While Cook oversaw Apple through a number of big milestone moments, the launch of Apple TV+ (now without the +) and the overall services division is one for which he will be remembered when he steps aside. This week, shareholders learned that date is coming sooner rather than later. With the exit of Cook also came the news he would turn the reins over to John Ternus, the company’s head of hardware engineering. With the switch-over comes a number of larger questions about the future of Apple. It seems like a natural decision to put a hardware executive into the lead role, given Apple is known for its innovative hardware, but that also leaves some questions about the services group that complements those projects. Nobody should be expecting any game-changing decrees from Ternus this early on, but analysts are already speculating, and investors would be wise to at least be curious about what the new incoming lead may do and how it may impact the business. First, as always, some background. The services division is an interesting unit inside Apple – it’s a catch-all of sorts. Everything from music to movies to games and even fitness falls under that banner, as does AI. What makes it even more interesting is that the sum of its parts is so successful it balances out the verticals inside of it that are aimed more at prestige than profit. Apple TV is a great example and one that many in the space w...
PM Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images NextEra Energy ( NEE ) has been one of those names I've watched from the sidelines for a while and the Q1 2026 earnings print made me take a harder look. Shares are up roughly 7% after the Q1 release and the reason isn't just the 10% YoY growth in adjusted EP. NEE delivered a combination of record origination quarter at NEER, a data center deal that I don't...
PM Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images NextEra Energy ( NEE ) has been one of those names I've watched from the sidelines for a while and the Q1 2026 earnings print made me take a harder look. Shares are up roughly 7% after the Q1 release and the reason isn't just the 10% YoY growth in adjusted EP. NEE delivered a combination of record origination quarter at NEER, a data center deal that I don't think most investors fully appreciate yet, and a management team that reaffirmed long-term guidance instead of walking anything back. Investors are still getting a dividend yield that exceeds 2.5% after the share price ran with 3 decades of consecutive annualized increases. I am bullish on NEE because they have a structural moat that is next to impossible to penetrate because utility companies are federally regulated and we continue to see more demand growth due to the increased need for computing power. The hyperscalers are reporting next week and I believe they won’t walk back CapEx and there is a possibility that they discuss spending more on data centers. NEE is in a position of strength and even though utilities are rallying I believe it’s forward valuation is still relatively inexpensive. Seeking Alpha Following Up On My Previous Article About NextEra Energy I previously wrote an article on NEE back in October ( can be read here ) and since then its increased by 14.94% compared to the S&P 500 climbing 4.88%. When the dividends are included over this period the total return for NEE is 16.51%. I felt that NEE was positioned to benefit from surging electricity demand driven by the ongoing data center and AI boom and their Q2 earnings results indicated management was bullish on their multi-year EPS and dividend growth guidance. As the data center buildout scaled I felt that NEE’s diversified energy mix, expanding renewables backlog, and strategic positioning supported long-term earnings growth. After going through the Q1 print I am following up with a new article because...