Key Points GE Vernova and Vistra are benefiting from soaring electricity demand. Nextpower’s backlog is growing as more companies upgrade their solar energy systems. 10 stocks we like better than GE Vernova › Many investors don't think of energy stocks as long-term investments, since they're often pegged to cyclical commodity prices and heavily exposed to macro headwinds. Yet energy demand is expe...
Key Points GE Vernova and Vistra are benefiting from soaring electricity demand. Nextpower’s backlog is growing as more companies upgrade their solar energy systems. 10 stocks we like better than GE Vernova › Many investors don't think of energy stocks as long-term investments, since they're often pegged to cyclical commodity prices and heavily exposed to macro headwinds. Yet energy demand is expected to keep rising as populations grow and economies expand. To capitalize on that trend, investors should focus on well-run companies with the scale and diversification to weather the energy sector's near-term volatility. These three stocks make the cut: GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV), Vistra (NYSE: VST), and Nextpower (NASDAQ: NXT). 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 » GE Vernova General Electric spun off its energy division, GE Vernova, in April 2024. GE Vernova's stock has soared more than 720% since its market debut, and it could surge even higher over the next decade as its core businesses expand. In 2025, over half of GE Vernova's orders came from its Power business, which produces gas turbines for combined-cycle plants, steam turbines for coal, gas, and nuclear plants. It also services nuclear power plants. Nearly a third of its orders came from its Electrification business, which supplies transformers, breakers, substations, and high-voltage direct current systems. It also provides services for entire electrical grids. The rest of its orders came from its smaller Wind business, which produces onshore and offshore turbines. GE Vernova's Power and Electrification orders grew by double digits last year, driven by the expansion of the power-hungry AI, cloud, and data center markets. That growth offset the slower growth of its Wind segment, which struggled with supply chain constraints and delays....
Webster Financial Corp. ’s shareholders accepted the $12 billion takeover proposal from Banco Santander SA , clearing one of the last remaining hurdles for the deal. “The transaction proposal has been approved,” Webster said according to an audio transcript from the extraordinary shareholder meeting on Tuesday, adding it will publish detailed results soon. A Santander spokesperson welcomed the dec...
Webster Financial Corp. ’s shareholders accepted the $12 billion takeover proposal from Banco Santander SA , clearing one of the last remaining hurdles for the deal. “The transaction proposal has been approved,” Webster said according to an audio transcript from the extraordinary shareholder meeting on Tuesday, adding it will publish detailed results soon. A Santander spokesperson welcomed the decision. Spain’s largest lender in February offered to buy Webster as part of an effort by Executive Chair Ana Botin to expand in the US. The target’s deposit base is expected to provide a comparatively cheap source of funding and the deal will also grow Santander’s commercial and retail lending business in the country. The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of the year, subject to regulatory approvals, the Santander spokesperson said. Read more: Santander to Acquire Webster for $12 Billion in US Expansion Santander is offering $48.75 per Webster share in cash and 2.0548 Santander shares in the form of American Depositary Shares per Webster share, valuing the US bank at about $73.49 per share at Friday’s close. That was equivalent to roughly $12 billion for the bank as a whole. US Senators Bernie Moreno and Tim Sheehy have expressed concerns about the acquisition and they have sent a letter to US banking regulators urging them to investigate it. Santander has carried out several other transactions recently. It sold a majority stake in its Polish unit to Austria’s Erste Group Bank AG and it bought the UK lender TSB from Banco Sabadell SA. Botin has since ruled out similar acquisitions for at least three years.
The stock market may be hovering near record highs, but millions of Americans are discovering that retirement and financial security are not the same thing. Grocery bills remain elevated. Housing costs continue climbing. Healthcare premiums keep eating into fixed incomes. And now a surprising new survey suggests many retirees are realizing their nest eggs were ... The Retiree Recession Begins: Sur...
The stock market may be hovering near record highs, but millions of Americans are discovering that retirement and financial security are not the same thing. Grocery bills remain elevated. Housing costs continue climbing. Healthcare premiums keep eating into fixed incomes. And now a surprising new survey suggests many retirees are realizing their nest eggs were ... The Retiree Recession Begins: Surprising Report Reveals 7% of Retirees Return to Work Amid High Costs
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. American Airlines is planning to install SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi in hundreds of its airplanes, the airline announced today. American says ...
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. American Airlines is planning to install SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi in hundreds of its airplanes, the airline announced today. American says the deployment will start in the first quarter of 2027, and will span more than 500 aircraft, including its new A321XLR and A321neo planes from Airbus. Starlink will join Viastat and SES (previously known as Intelstat) as among the airline’s Wi-Fi providers. American is the latest air carrier to turn to Elon Musk’s Starlink for its Wi-Fi needs. Others include United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Lufthansa Group, British Airways, Qatar Airways, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines recently struck a deal with Amazon Leo for Wi-Fi connectivity. Airlines are scrambling to make deals with satellite internet providers in the hopes of improving the traditionally dismal connectivity offerings on flights. Wi-Fi that relies on low-earth orbit satellites, like Starlink, tend to offer lower latency thanks to the shorter distance the signal has to travel as compared to satellites in geostationary orbit. Viasat uses geostationary satellites, while SES uses multi-orbit, low-earth orbit, and geostationary satellites. A recent report from Ookla found that SES-powered flights reported median download speeds of 61.61 Mbps, while Starlink-powered ones were averaging 152.37 Mbps. I got to test out Starlink on a United flight last year, and was getting download speeds of around 128 megabits-per-second (Mbps), while upload speeds were coming in a little slower at an average of 23.9 Mbps. “As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want,” American Airlines Chief Customer Office...
Mariia Vitkovska/iStock via Getty Images We have long held a position in AutoZone, Inc. ( AZO ). In fact, over at BAD BEAT Investing, we have been investors since about the $600 level. We reiterated a Buy for new members when it was at $2,000. The stock had rallied to the mid-$4,000s and seemed to be well on its way to our $5,000 price target. But now that target is out of reach in 2026, and we ar...
Mariia Vitkovska/iStock via Getty Images We have long held a position in AutoZone, Inc. ( AZO ). In fact, over at BAD BEAT Investing, we have been investors since about the $600 level. We reiterated a Buy for new members when it was at $2,000. The stock had rallied to the mid-$4,000s and seemed to be well on its way to our $5,000 price target. But now that target is out of reach in 2026, and we are disappointed. We had seen slipping margins, fewer buybacks, and slower EPS growth. The slow grind higher had long been driven by stable margins, location expansions, and the huge repurchase program. Make no mistake, these are still the reasons to own it long-term, but now the stock is back to nearly $3,000 as cash flow numbers have been soft for a few quarters. We do think it is a hold-your nose-and-buy moment. We would love a stock split to attract lower-dollar investors, and we do expect annual EPS growth to continue. But margins need to be prioritized, and the buybacks we would hope to get much more aggressive on this pullback. Data by YCharts This is the three-year chart above. As you can see, we are back to 2024 levels. We suspect some solid support at this $3,000 mark. AZO stock is one of over 150 stocks we now own at our investing service that we have held as a house position after executing a successful trade. We believe this is still a great long-term investment even if the last 2-3 quarters have been tough. Why is that? Well, AutoZone remains a compounder that reinvests cash back into the business, fueling growth and shareholder value. The company is expanding internationally. The share buyback program increases EPS over time. We are certainly disappointed in the last few quarters, but we see it as a bump in the road and not a sign of long-term erosion ahead. Our view has long been to take advantage of 10% plus declines in this stock to add, and with shares down about $1300 from the peak, we are entering value levels again. The company just reported earnings ; l...
It is mostly international students who are affected, the exam board says, but the papers are also sat by some students in independent schools across the UK.
It is mostly international students who are affected, the exam board says, but the papers are also sat by some students in independent schools across the UK.
Iran and the United States remain locked in a stalemate after forces clashed overnight despite both sides touting progress. The US military said it had conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran that targeted missile-launch sites and boats attempting to lay mines. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it fired at an F-35 fighter jet and drones that had entered Iranian airspace. The US Na...
Iran and the United States remain locked in a stalemate after forces clashed overnight despite both sides touting progress. The US military said it had conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran that targeted missile-launch sites and boats attempting to lay mines. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it fired at an F-35 fighter jet and drones that had entered Iranian airspace. The US Navy has restarted assisting vessel crossings through Hormuz , the Wall Street Journal reported. The passage of ships through the strait has been one of the main sticking points in negotiations. Another is Iran’s $24 billion in frozen assets. Tehran is asking that half of that amount be released on signing an agreement, the semi-official Tasnim agency reported. Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the US attacks as a violation of a ceasefire that’s been in place since early April. Its Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei today published a statement warning that the “nations and lands of the region will no longer be a shield for American bases.” — Jennifer Duggan What You Need to Know Today BP’s board ousted Chairman Albert Manifold just months into the job after serious concerns were raised about governance standards, oversight and conduct. Manifold’s departure is sudden and unexpected and prolongs a period of leadership turmoil at the company. It has had three CEOs in as many years and the Manifold’s predecessor exited under pressure from an activist investor . The company has been supposed to be turning around years of poor performance with a focus on its core oil and gas business. Prior to news of his departure, investors had welcomed the changes ushered in by Manifold. Europe Heat Wave Boosts Solar, Sends Power Prices Negative The first major heat wave of the season broke temperature records across northwest Europe, triggered water shortages in the UK and has been linked to several deaths in France. Read more The European Central Bank will do whatever is needed to bring consumer-...
The Federal Reserve should shift closer toward hiking interest rates as rising consumer prices become the dominant threat to the economy, according to Citadel Securities . “Inflation, not the labor market is the greater risk,” Nohshad Shah , head of EMEA fixed-income sales. “The Fed should take note and adjust their stance soon, lest they get behind the curve.” The warning comes after the jump in ...
The Federal Reserve should shift closer toward hiking interest rates as rising consumer prices become the dominant threat to the economy, according to Citadel Securities . “Inflation, not the labor market is the greater risk,” Nohshad Shah , head of EMEA fixed-income sales. “The Fed should take note and adjust their stance soon, lest they get behind the curve.” The warning comes after the jump in oil prices since the start of the US-Iran war caused the biggest surge of inflation since 2023. At the same time, US financial conditions have eased due to the stock market’s rally on the back of what Shah called a “once-in-a-generation AI transformation.” The flood of investment spending on the technology is also adding fuel to the pace of growth. Citadel’s model suggests the Fed’s current rate is near the neutral level that neither stimulates growth nor constricts it. He said that stance is “inconsistent” with market pricing indicating that the economy will expand at a solid pace. Fed officials have already turned more hawkish. A majority of policymakers have warned that the Fed may need to consider raising rates if inflation remains persistently above its 2% target, according to minutes from the central bank’s April meeting. Interest-rate swaps show that it’s unlikely to increase rates until late October at the earliest, though a quarter-point hike is seen as virtually certain by early next year. Bond yields have also jumped sharply since late February amid renewed concerns about inflation. The bond market “is awakening to the reality of a hot economy with risks of a classic demand-induced inflation process,” Shah wrote. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the Fed for not cutting interest rates more deeply. The rise in inflation, however, is complicating the job for Fed Chair Kevin Warsh , who Trump appointed to lead the bank and who has a “presumed goal” of avoiding a hiking cycle, Shah said. Recent data suggest the energy shock is beginning to feed into br...
Key Points AI giants like Nvidia and Palantir see a clear path toward continued growth. Retail giants like Walmart and Costco are performing phenomenally, but the U.S. consumer might be showing signs of pressure. 10 stocks we like better than Walmart › Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" ...
Key Points AI giants like Nvidia and Palantir see a clear path toward continued growth. Retail giants like Walmart and Costco are performing phenomenally, but the U.S. consumer might be showing signs of pressure. 10 stocks we like better than Walmart › 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 » Most of the biggest public companies in the U.S. have released their 2026 first-quarter earnings reports (or equivalents) by now, and they tell the story of a strong and resilient U.S. economy. According to FactSet's May 21 update, 84% of the companies in the benchmark S&P 500 index have beaten estimates on earnings per share, while 81% outperormed on revenue estimates. The most exciting part of the story is artificial intelligence (AI). Companies like Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) are demonstrating accelerating growth and anticipate a long runway. But even companies you might expect to be reeling from the impact of high inflation, like Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) and Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT), are reporting fantastic numbers. But the market typically cares about what's next more than what it just learned, and investors who aren't used to this dynamic can be surprised when a stock drops after a stellar earnings report. All four stocks I just mentioned have recently dropped after earnings due to worries about the future. Is it justified? It's all about AI -- or is it? Let's first take a look at what some of the AI companies are telling the market. Nvidia easily surpassed Wall Street's expectations on the top and bottom line in the first quarter of its fiscal 2027 (ended April 26), like it usually does. Revenue increased 85% year over year, an acceleration from the previous quarter and well above analyst expectations. But it doesn't end there; CEO Jensen Huang remained ve...
Key Points The AI boom is driving a surge in demand for memory chips, which are supplied by companies like Micron. Axcelis Technologies makes ion implantation machines that are critical to memory production. It could see explosive demand for its equipment as memory manufacturers race to expand their production. 10 stocks we like better than Axcelis Technologies › Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) sup...
Key Points The AI boom is driving a surge in demand for memory chips, which are supplied by companies like Micron. Axcelis Technologies makes ion implantation machines that are critical to memory production. It could see explosive demand for its equipment as memory manufacturers race to expand their production. 10 stocks we like better than Axcelis Technologies › Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) supplies some of the world's best high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for data centers, which is critically important for processing artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. Demand for this hardware far exceeds supply, which is why Micron stock has exploded higher by 700% over the past year. But another company is also benefiting from the blistering demand for memory. Axcelis Technologies (NASDAQ: ACLS) sells ion implantation machines, which play an essential role in the manufacturing of memory chips and other semiconductor hardware. As companies such as Micron race to expand their production capacity, they will have to buy more of this equipment. 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 » Axcelis stock is sitting on a 12-month gain of 170%. But is there more upside ahead? The memory opportunity could transform Axcelis' business Axcelis has three primary business units which account for 90% of its revenue: Power: Axcelis sells ion implantation machines for power semiconductors, which control the flow of electricity between chips and other devices. The company specializes in complex chemistries, including silicon carbide which is popular in the electric vehicle industry because it facilitates rapid battery charging. General Mature: This segment includes ion implantation equipment for mature-node chips, which are the basic processors that power everyday electronics including Wi-Fi modems, vehicle infotainment syst...
Apple (AAPL) is widely seen as a laggard in the AI space, due to its long-delayed Siri upgrade and lack of major proprietary models. But the rise of AI agents could see the company’s apparent weakness turned into its ultimate strength. In an investor note published Tuesday, Bank of America’s Wamsi Mohan argued that Apple’s control over its ecosystem — ranging from silicon to its operating systems ...
Apple (AAPL) is widely seen as a laggard in the AI space, due to its long-delayed Siri upgrade and lack of major proprietary models. But the rise of AI agents could see the company’s apparent weakness turned into its ultimate strength. In an investor note published Tuesday, Bank of America’s Wamsi Mohan argued that Apple’s control over its ecosystem — ranging from silicon to its operating systems — provides it with an “agentic AI moat” that could prove crucial to its AI efforts. “In an agentic world, value accrues to the platform that controls user intent, personal context, app access, permissions, identity, authentication, payments, and trust,” Mohan wrote. “[The] smartphone is the scaled consumer device where these factors already converge. If AI assistants become the new front door to search, apps, commerce, scheduling, payments, and workflow completion, we think Apple should have meaningful leverage over model providers, app developers, merchants, advertisers, and payment networks,” he added. Mohan, who maintained a Buy rating on the stock, raised his price target on Apple to $380 from $330 in Tuesday’s note, implying roughly 20% upside from its current share price. AI agents are semi-autonomous and fully autonomous digital helpers that perform tasks on your behalf. Powered by LLMs, they can do things like arrange files on your computer, scan your email for specific topics, or pull information from the web for you. So far, the technology has helped propel chip stocks higher as data center builders snatch up as many GPUs and CPUs as possible to run the hundreds of millions of agents users are setting up around the world. But Mohan thinks Apple should benefit handsomely from the technology, since the iPhone, in particular, serves as a secure point for users to interact with agents. “Apple does not need to own the best frontier model if it owns the trusted interface that routes intent across local models, Apple-controlled cloud models, external models, and app acti...
The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.72%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.31%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is up +1.42%. June E-mini S&P futures (ESM26) are up +0.62%, and June E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQM26) are up +1.33%. Stock indexes are rallying today, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posting new all-time highs. Stocks are finding support today from a ...
The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.72%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.31%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is up +1.42%. June E-mini S&P futures (ESM26) are up +0.62%, and June E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQM26) are up +1.33%. Stock indexes are rallying today, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posting new all-time highs. Stocks are finding support today from a drop in crude oil prices and bond yields after officials signaled the US was nearing a deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore oil flows. According to the Washington Post, the US and Iran have developed a memorandum that would extend the ceasefire by 60 days as the two sides seek a permanent deal, and if agreed, the Strait of Hormuz would be de-mined and reopened in the meantime. Secretary of State Rubio said negotiations will still "take a few days" as both sides discuss language in an initial document. WTI crude oil fell to a 2.5-week low today, and the 10-year T-note yield fell to a 1.5-week low of 4.47%. Join 200K+ Subscribers: However, stock index futures were undercut after the US Central Command said US forces struck Iranian missile-launch sites and boats trying to place mines in the Strait of Hormuz. US economic news today was mixed for stocks. The Apr Chicago Fed National Activity Index rose +0.29 to a 13-month high of 0.14, stronger than expectations of -0.03. Also, the Mar S&P Composite-20 home price index rose +0.83% y/y, a smaller increase than the +0.90% y/y expected and the smallest year-on-year gain in more than 2.5 years. WTI crude oil prices (CLM26) remain extremely volatile and are susceptible to headlines from the Iran war. Crude oil prices fell more than -3% today at a 2.5-week low after the US and Iran said peace talks were progressing. However, crude prices rebounded from their worst levels after US and Israeli jets struck missile sites in Iran and boats laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said...
AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) reported stronger fiscal third-quarter sales growth as management pointed to gains in its commercial business, new store openings and expanded parts availability, while noting that mild late-quarter weather weighed on demand in some seasonal categories. President and CEO Phil Daniele said total sales rose 8.4% in the quarter, the company’s largest reported increase since the se...
AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) reported stronger fiscal third-quarter sales growth as management pointed to gains in its commercial business, new store openings and expanded parts availability, while noting that mild late-quarter weather weighed on demand in some seasonal categories. President and CEO Phil Daniele said total sales rose 8.4% in the quarter, the company’s largest reported increase since the second quarter of fiscal 2023. Earnings per share increased 7.7%, though both Daniele and Chief Financial Officer Jamere Jackson said results were pressured by a non-cash LIFO charge. “Simply put, we're growing,” Daniele said, citing store expansion and market share gains. He also thanked the company’s more than 130,000 employees, which AutoZone refers to as AutoZoners, for their customer service efforts. Sales Growth Led by Commercial Business AutoZone reported total sales of $4.8 billion for the quarter, up 8.4% from the same period a year earlier. Total company same-store sales increased 3.9% on a constant currency basis. Domestic same-store sales rose 4.1%, with domestic DIY sales up 2.2% and domestic commercial sales up 10.4%. Daniele said the quarter began stronger than it ended. Domestic same-store sales increased 5% in the first four weeks, 4.5% in the second four-week period and 2.9% in the final four-week period. He said the final two weeks were softer, with comps up 1.3%, due to unseasonably cool weather that affected heat-related categories such as air conditioning, starting and charging. “This slowdown in sales was caused by unseasonably cool weather impacting our heat-related categories, which normally begin to ramp this time of year as summer heat begins to take hold,” Daniele said. On the DIY side, same-store sales increased 2.2%, improving from 1.5% growth in the second quarter. Daniele said regional performance was strongest in the West, Midwest and Northeast, and said the company expects “solid DIY performance” during the summer selling season. Commercial I...
KNDS NV said it’s pushing ahead with plans to go public as the Franco-German tank maker seeks to capitalize on surging demand that drove earnings and sales last year. The company said it’s continuing preparations for a dual listing in Frankfurt and Paris this year, and that it “remains fully in line with the initial schedule,” according to an earnings release on Tuesday. Last year, earnings before...
KNDS NV said it’s pushing ahead with plans to go public as the Franco-German tank maker seeks to capitalize on surging demand that drove earnings and sales last year. The company said it’s continuing preparations for a dual listing in Frankfurt and Paris this year, and that it “remains fully in line with the initial schedule,” according to an earnings release on Tuesday. Last year, earnings before interest and tax rose 32% to €661 million ($768 million), while sales surged about 16% to €4.4 billion, KNDS said. KNDS said it has an order backlog of €33.1 billion, underscoring the growth in demand for defense systems, particularly in Europe. KNDS, which makes the Leopard 2 battle tank and is owned partly by the French government and German families, is preparing to go public in coming weeks, after concerns surrounding the firm’s valuation had clouded its IPO prospects . The disappointing share performance of peers, including Germany’s largest defense company Rheinmetall AG , have led investors to revise their market-value projections down to below €20 billion, Bloomberg News reported previously. The cost of a proposed 40% German government stake in the company remains another point of contention , as the family owners seek a higher price than Germany is willing to pay.