This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Alphabet (GOOGL, Financials) is expanding its AI reach through a new Google Cloud partnership with private equity firm EQT. The deal gives more than 300 EQT portfolio companies access to Google Cloud's AI tools, including the Gemini Enterprise Agent platform, along with cybersecurity services. For EQT, the goal is practical. Its companies operate across ar...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Alphabet (GOOGL, Financials) is expanding its AI reach through a new Google Cloud partnership with private equity firm EQT. The deal gives more than 300 EQT portfolio companies access to Google Cloud's AI tools, including the Gemini Enterprise Agent platform, along with cybersecurity services. For EQT, the goal is practical. Its companies operate across areas such as enterprise software, healthcare and other industries, and many are trying to figure out how to use AI without slowing daily operations. Google engineers will work with EQT's AI transformation team to help portfolio companies build and deploy AI tools. The companies will also get access to Google Cloud's partner network, which includes consultants from firms such as Accenture, Deloitte and KPMG. For Google Cloud, the agreement opens the door to hundreds of business customers at once. It also gives portfolio companies a chance to sell their own software through Google Cloud's online marketplace. The deal follows similar Google Cloud agreements with Vista Equity Partners and Thoma Bravo, showing how major cloud providers are using private equity networks to expand AI adoption. For investors, the partnership points to a growing revenue opportunity for Alphabet as companies move from AI testing to real-world deployment.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Entertainment Merger and acquisition activity is strong so far in 2026, and Goldman Sachs ( GS ) sees the potential to reach a record in advising on M&A, its chief operating officer said on Thursday. "We're on track to be near the record, if not breaching the record of 2021," COO John Waldron said at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference. "Our backlogs feel good...
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Entertainment Merger and acquisition activity is strong so far in 2026, and Goldman Sachs ( GS ) sees the potential to reach a record in advising on M&A, its chief operating officer said on Thursday. "We're on track to be near the record, if not breaching the record of 2021," COO John Waldron said at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference. "Our backlogs feel good." Furthermore, "activity is remaining strong," he added. "Conversations are happening. There's more bias for consolidations in these industries." While investors are anxious about the economy and individual companies' prospects, Waldron says that CEOs are confident in their businesses' outlooks. That bodes well for M&A. Waldron has observed a reversal in the trend of private equity dominating M&A. "Interestingly, it's really a corporate-led market," he said. Corporate M&A is up ~62% Y/Y, whereas private equity is down 4%. "That's the reverse of what we've seen for the last five or 10 years where it has been much more of a private equity-led environment." He sees the potential for corporate M&A activity to accelerate as some companies seek to increase their scale in an industry they're already strong in. Meanwhile, some firms may seek to shed operations that aren't core to their main business. It's more difficult to tell whether private equity firms will step up their M&A activity, he said. But if they do, it can accelerate M&A even more. "That's a big source of upside," he said. He pointed out that there is a trillion dollars of dry powder and $4T of embedded portfolio company valuation owned by private equity and venture capital firms. "So if that engine turns on, we're going to get another step-function uplift." Any acceleration in M&A activity is good for Goldman ( GS ) as it's the top adviser in the business. Brokering a large deal can bring a hundred million dollars in fees. "And at Goldman Sachs, we feel really good about our position. We have an almost $300B lead in...
For years, financial experts have encouraged workers to prioritize their 401(k)s, and for good reason. Traditional 401(k)s offer benefits such as tax-free contributions, tax-deferred growth, and, for many people, employer matches. But there's a big downside to saving for retirement in a 401(k) you should know about. And if you make a traditional 401(k) your only retirement account, you could end u...
For years, financial experts have encouraged workers to prioritize their 401(k)s, and for good reason. Traditional 401(k)s offer benefits such as tax-free contributions, tax-deferred growth, and, for many people, employer matches. But there's a big downside to saving for retirement in a 401(k) you should know about. And if you make a traditional 401(k) your only retirement account, you could end up in a tough spot later in life. RMDs can create surprise tax headaches The biggest issue with having only a traditional 401(k) for retirement is that once you turn 73 or 75, depending on your year of birth, you'll be forced to start taking withdrawals each year known as required minimum distributions, or RMDs. At first, RMDs may not sound like a major issue. After all, withdrawing money from retirement accounts is the whole point of saving in the first place. The problem with RMDs is that you can't control the timing. You're forced to withdraw a certain amount each year based on your life expectancy and account balance. And if you don't need that full amount, too bad -- you have to take it and pay taxes on it. If you don't, you risk a 25% penalty on whatever amount you don't withdraw. Not only can RMDs create tax headaches, but they could also have less obvious consequences. If RMDs raise your income enough each year, you could end up having your Social Security benefits taxed. And if your RMDs are on the larger side, they could drive your income up to the point where Medicare premiums cost you more. Plus, because RMD percentages commonly increase with age, that tax burden could grow larger over time. Tax diversification is key There's nothing wrong with using a 401(k) to build retirement savings. But as you get closer to ending your career, you may want to look at diversifying so you don't have all of your money in that single account. One option is to do a partial Roth conversion ahead of retirement. You'll pay taxes on the sum you move to a Roth IRA. But you'll then be ...
Earnings Call Insights: Li Auto (LI) Q1 2026 Management view "In Q1 of this year, our deliveries entered a growth trajectory." (Founder, Executive Chairman & CEO Xiang Li) "From January to April, Li Auto returned to the top position in sales among Chinese brands in the Chinese new energy vehicle market priced at RMB 200,000 and above." (CEO Li) "Monthly sales of our BEV model, the Li i6 has stabil...
Earnings Call Insights: Li Auto (LI) Q1 2026 Management view "In Q1 of this year, our deliveries entered a growth trajectory." (Founder, Executive Chairman & CEO Xiang Li) "From January to April, Li Auto returned to the top position in sales among Chinese brands in the Chinese new energy vehicle market priced at RMB 200,000 and above." (CEO Li) "Monthly sales of our BEV model, the Li i6 has stabilized at 20,000 units per month, ranking top 3 among all BEV SUVs." (CEO Li) "On May 15, we launched the all-new Li L9 with deliveries starting on May 17." (CEO Li) "Within just 2 weeks, the Li L9 Livis secured over 10,000 orders with transaction prices of over RMB 500,000." (CEO Li) "We expect that we'll maintain a market share of over 20% in the RMB 500,000 and above NEV SUV market." (CEO Li) "Starting in June, we will focus our communication and promotion efforts on Li L9 Ultra, aiming to capture a 20% market share in the RMB 400,000 to RMB 500,000 NEV SUV market." (CEO Li) "In late June, we will launch the all-new Li L8." (CEO Li) "With the launch of the all-new Li L9, we have successfully and fully deployed our proprietary MAHE M100 chip and the MindVLA model." (CEO Li) "This mass production of our full stack hardware software solution was a key milestone for us." (CEO Li) "With the steady rollout of our core technologies and our updated product portfolio, we maintain our full year sales growth target of 20%." (CEO Li) "Total revenues in the first quarter were RMB 23 billion, down 11.4% year-over-year and 20.1% quarter-over-quarter." (CFO & Executive Director Tie Li) "Vehicle margin in the first quarter was 6.1% versus 19.8% in the same period last year and 16.8% in the prior quarter." (CFO Li) Outlook "For the second quarter of 2026, the company expects the delivery to be between 95,000 and 100,000 vehicles and quarterly total revenues to be between RMB 24.1 billion and RMB 25.4 billion." (CFO Li) "With the steady rollout of our core technologies and our updated produc...
Canadian online brokerages Wealthsimple and Questrade Inc. are joining a wave of companies promising to offer access to firms planning initial public offerings, as startup funding rounds heat up. Wealthsimple said Thursday it will allow ordinary investors to participate in US and domestic IPOs as soon as they’re launched, with rival Questrade following soon after. At Wealthsimple, clients will be ...
Canadian online brokerages Wealthsimple and Questrade Inc. are joining a wave of companies promising to offer access to firms planning initial public offerings, as startup funding rounds heat up. Wealthsimple said Thursday it will allow ordinary investors to participate in US and domestic IPOs as soon as they’re launched, with rival Questrade following soon after. At Wealthsimple, clients will be able to request shares for certain upcoming IPOs, with no minimum order. The Toronto-based fintech will work with investment banks, which will allocate shares to the platform that can then be bought by clients. A Wealthsimple spokesperson declined to name the banks or any of the IPOs it would offer access to. She also declined to say whether the highly anticipated SpaceX IPO, which is expected within the coming weeks, would be available. “We can only offer the deals we’re invited to participate in,” Wealthsimple says on its website without naming any of the companies. The company also warns that clients may not get all, or any, of the shares requested if demand exceeds the shares Wealthsimple has available. As well, clients who sell or transfer their IPO shares in the first 90 days will be barred indefinitely from future IPO access — a policy that also exists at US brokerages. And US-only IPOs will only be available to accredited investors. Accredited investors meet certain criteria around assets or income. Venture firms using special purpose vehicles as a way to invest in fast-growing businesses have grown in popularity with retail investors, inviting scrutiny recently. Anthropic PBC identified a number of secondary marketplaces as unauthorized sellers of its shares. Read more: Anthropic Warns Investors to Avoid Certain Secondary Markets Toronto-based Questrade is planning to launch a private markets platform this summer that will initially include pre-IPO opportunities and “institutional-grade private credit,” and later expand into other private assets, it said Thursday. ...
Key Points CVS Health hasn't cut its dividend, but it has paused annual increases on occasion. CVS's cash flow is more than enough to cover its dividend obligations. 10 stocks we like better than CVS Health › After struggling for a few years, CVS Health's (NYSE: CVS) stock has been on a good run, trading up over 107% since the start of 2025 (as of market close on May 25). Because of stagnant stock...
Key Points CVS Health hasn't cut its dividend, but it has paused annual increases on occasion. CVS's cash flow is more than enough to cover its dividend obligations. 10 stocks we like better than CVS Health › After struggling for a few years, CVS Health's (NYSE: CVS) stock has been on a good run, trading up over 107% since the start of 2025 (as of market close on May 25). Because of stagnant stock growth, CVS's main appeal has been its dividend. At the time of writing, CVS's dividend yield is nearly 2.9%, more than 2.5 times the S&P 500 average. And while an attractive dividend is always nice, it's only as valuable as it is sustainable. 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 » So, just how sustainable is CVS's dividend? In its most recent quarter (ended March 31), CVS generated $4.2 billion in cash flow from its operations. Although it was down from $4.6 billion last year, it was still more than enough to cover its dividend obligations. CVS paid out $847 million in dividends in the quarter, or just over 20% of its cash flow. CVS expects its cash flow to be at least $9.5 billion this year, which would comfortably cover the $3.39 billion it's projected to pay in dividends. The company is known to pause its annual dividend increases -- as it did for almost four years to help pay down its Aetna acquisition debt and as it is doing now -- but you shouldn't have to worry about it eliminating its dividend. Its cash flow is healthy enough to support it, even with its higher-than-preferred debt right now. Should you buy stock in CVS Health right now? Before you buy stock in CVS Health, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and CVS Health wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could prod...
Susan Heystee, a member of the Board of Directors for Ouster (OUST 4.48%), reported the open-market sale of 9,316 common shares for a total consideration of approximately $324,000, according to the SEC Form 4 filing. Transaction summary Metric Value Shares sold (direct) 9,316 Transaction value ~$324,197 Post-transaction shares (direct) 35,093 Post-transaction value (direct ownership) $1.2 million ...
Susan Heystee, a member of the Board of Directors for Ouster (OUST 4.48%), reported the open-market sale of 9,316 common shares for a total consideration of approximately $324,000, according to the SEC Form 4 filing. Transaction summary Metric Value Shares sold (direct) 9,316 Transaction value ~$324,197 Post-transaction shares (direct) 35,093 Post-transaction value (direct ownership) $1.2 million Transaction and post-transaction values based on SEC Form 4 reported price ($34.80). Key questions How did the size of this sale compare to Heystee's historical sale activity? The 9,316 shares sold in this transaction is below the historical average sale size of approximately 16,938 shares, a reduction primarily attributable to diminished direct holdings after prior sales. The 9,316 shares sold in this transaction is below the historical average sale size of approximately 16,938 shares, a reduction primarily attributable to diminished direct holdings after prior sales. What proportion of Heystee's stake was involved and what remains? The transaction accounted for roughly 21% of her direct ownership at the time, leaving a direct holding of 35,093 shares, which is approximately 0.06% of Ouster's outstanding shares as of the latest disclosure. The transaction accounted for roughly 21% of her direct ownership at the time, leaving a direct holding of 35,093 shares, which is approximately 0.06% of Ouster's outstanding shares as of the latest disclosure. Was there any use of indirect ownership vehicles or derivative securities in this trade? No; the entire transaction involved the direct sale of common stock, with no indirect holdings (such as trusts or LLCs) or derivative instruments (such as options) reported. No; the entire transaction involved the direct sale of common stock, with no indirect holdings (such as trusts or LLCs) or derivative instruments (such as options) reported. How does the timing of this sale relate to Ouster's market performance? The sale was executed as th...
News: Suppliers 28 May 2026 Purdue and Taiwan’s GCCS partner to scale silicon carbide substrates to 8- and 12-inches Purdue University has formed a strategic partnership with Taiwan-based GeChi Compound Semiconductor Co (GCCS) to accelerate the commercialization of silicon carbide (SiC). The collaboration targets the critical thermal, power and 6G bottlenecks currently constraining the next genera...
News: Suppliers 28 May 2026 Purdue and Taiwan’s GCCS partner to scale silicon carbide substrates to 8- and 12-inches Purdue University has formed a strategic partnership with Taiwan-based GeChi Compound Semiconductor Co (GCCS) to accelerate the commercialization of silicon carbide (SiC). The collaboration targets the critical thermal, power and 6G bottlenecks currently constraining the next generation of high-compute infrastructure. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) is for five years and will strengthen collaborative R&D as well as create academic-industry workforce development initiatives. GCCS will serve as a provider of semiconductor materials and Purdue as a critical hub for the technology. The signing was conducted on campus at Hovde Hall with Dan DeLaurentis, executive VP for research; Mark Lundstrom, chief semiconductor officer; and Zhihong Chen, the Mary Jo and Robert L. Kirk director of the Birck Nanotechnology Center, among Purdue’s attendees. Representing GCCS were chief technology officer Kuo-Wei Yeh, founder Chung-Chieh Chang, and board chairman Kuan-Ming Hsiung. Picture: Purdue’s executive VP for research Dan DeLaurentis, left, and GeChi Compound Semiconductor Co’s board chairman Kuan-Ming Hsiung, who signed a research MoU. (Purdue University photo/Kelsey Lefever.) “This partnership represents a profound strategic alignment between GeChi Compound Semiconductor and Purdue University,” said Hsiung. “By combining our manufacturing scale with America’s leading academic institution, we are taking decisive action to secure the domestic supply chain for silicon carbide,” he adds. “This collaboration is not merely about advancing materials; it is about establishing the resilient, high-yield manufacturing capacity within the United States that is absolutely essential for national tech security and the future of global critical infrastructure.” GCCS specializes in silicon carbide crystal growth, bridging foundational engineering from Taiwan’s semiconductor e...
Cinefootage Visuals/iStock via Getty Images Investment Overview I awarded Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( IONS ) stock a Buy rating in my last note on the company in August last year, and the stock has risen in value by >80% since, although it's worth noting that since I assigned my first Buy rating in February 2020 , the stock is up just over 25%. In 2020, Ionis, a California-based biopharma compan...
Cinefootage Visuals/iStock via Getty Images Investment Overview I awarded Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( IONS ) stock a Buy rating in my last note on the company in August last year, and the stock has risen in value by >80% since, although it's worth noting that since I assigned my first Buy rating in February 2020 , the stock is up just over 25%. In 2020, Ionis, a California-based biopharma company focused on oligonucleotide antisense technology (using RNA to intercept genetic messaging and increase, decrease, or alter the production of specific proteins), had secured approvals for three drugs: Spinraza, indicated to treat spinal muscular atrophy ("SMA"); Tegsedi, indicated for polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis ("hATTR"); and Waylivra, for familial chylomicronemia syndrome ("FCS") (approved in Europe, Canada, and Brazil, but not the U.S.). Ionis income statements annual (Seeking Alpha) As we can see above, in 2020, Ionis earned $729.3m of revenues (and >$1bn in 2019) and made an operating loss of $(172.1m), and in 2025, revenues amounted to $943.7m, and operating loss was $(382m). Perhaps, therefore, it is not too surprising shares have not risen by more over the past six years. In fact, shares traded at a value of ~$30 as recently as March 2025, down 50% on a five-year basis, but Ionis' bull run since then has been driven by some notable achievements. Besides the three drugs mentioned above, Ionis has recently secured approvals for Wainua (eplontersen) in polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis ("ATTRv-PN") in 2023, Qalsody in adults with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ("ALS") with an SOD1 mutation, also in 2023, Tryngolza in familial chylomicronemia syndrome ("FCS") in 2024, and last year, Dawnzera in hereditary angioedema ("HAE"). Spinraza royalties aside, which have trended ~$200m - $250m per annum for the past several years - the product is marketed and sold by Biogen ( BIIB ) - Ionis' commercial products have typical...
当通胀高企、油价飙升，市场普遍预期依赖中低收入客群的折扣零售商会最先受到冲击时，Dollar Tree和Dollar General却用一份亮眼的财报给出了截然不同的答案。在整体零售环境阴云密布的背景下，这两家折扣零售巨头的股价在财报发布后双双飙升，上演了逆势行情。 Dollar Tree公布的2026财年第一季度财报显示，净销售额同比增长7.2%至50亿美元，同店销售额增长3.5%，远高于市场预...
当通胀高企、油价飙升，市场普遍预期依赖中低收入客群的折扣零售商会最先受到冲击时，Dollar Tree和Dollar General却用一份亮眼的财报给出了截然不同的答案。在整体零售环境阴云密布的背景下，这两家折扣零售巨头的股价在财报发布后双双飙升，上演了逆势行情。 Dollar Tree公布的2026财年第一季度财报显示，净销售额同比增长7.2%至50亿美元，同店销售额增长3.5%，远高于市场预期。更令人瞩目的是，调整后摊薄每股收益飙升38%至1.74美元，业绩增长主要由更高的商品加成率、更低的货运成本和损耗减少所驱动。公司同时将全年调整后每股收益指引上调至6.70至7.10美元区间。受此利好刺激，Dollar Tree股价当日大涨约16%。 Dollar General同样交出了扎实的成绩单。公司第一季度净销售额达104.36亿美元，同比增长5.26%，超出市场预期的102.5亿美元；净利润3.92亿美元，同比增长7.87%；每股收益1.78美元，同样超越分析师预期的1.48美元。公司毛利率改善了78个基点，体现出成本控制和库存管理的成效。财报发布后，Dollar General股价也录得显著涨幅。 Dollar Tree首席执行官Mike Creedon在财报电话会上表示，所有收入水平的消费者目前都高度重视价值和可负担性。这正是折扣零售商逆势增长的核心逻辑——在经济不确定性加剧的环境下，消费行为正发生结构性转变。一方面，Alvarez & Marsal的最新消费者调查显示，低收入群体正在减少非必要支出，更倾向于转向低价零售商。另一方面，折扣店正在成功吸引更高收入客群。由于去污名化的趋势，越来越多的中产阶级消费者将Dollar Tree和Dollar General视为日常采购的选择之一。 然而，增长背后亦有隐忧。GlobalData分析师Neil Saunders指出，Dollar Tree客流量实际下降了1%，同店销售的增长主要依赖单次消费金额的提升。这意味着，部分消费者可能正在“压缩”消费次数，但每次购买更多必需品。此外，关税仍是主要风险——两家公司的财报均提及，关税成本的上升正在侵蚀部分利润，需要通过供应链调整或成本控制来对冲。 尽管宏观经济前景仍不明朗，但IBISWorld的数据显示，美国折扣杂货店行业2026年总收入已达约1235亿美元，且仍在温和增...
Triata Capital Ltd reduced its stake in GDS Holdings Limited (GDS +4.25%), selling 1,886,396 shares in the first quarter for an estimated $80.89 million, according to the May 14, 2026 SEC filing. The transaction value is an estimate based on the quarter's average pricing. GDS Holdings delivers data center and managed cloud solutions to enterprise clients across China, with a focus on long-term con...
Triata Capital Ltd reduced its stake in GDS Holdings Limited (GDS +4.25%), selling 1,886,396 shares in the first quarter for an estimated $80.89 million, according to the May 14, 2026 SEC filing. The transaction value is an estimate based on the quarter's average pricing. GDS Holdings delivers data center and managed cloud solutions to enterprise clients across China, with a focus on long-term contracts. What happened According to the SEC filing dated May 14, 2026, Triata Capital Ltd reduced its position in GDS Holdings Limited by 1,886,396 shares during the first quarter. The estimated transaction value was $80.89 million, based on the average unadjusted closing price for the quarter. The fund ended the period with 1,087,902 shares, worth $43.83 million at quarter-end. The net position change, which includes trading and price movement, was a decline of $59.97 million. What else to know Triata Capital Ltd’s GDS position now represents 7.94% of its 13F reportable AUM after the sale. Top holdings after the filing: NASDAQ: PDD: $212.77 million (38.6% of AUM) NASDAQ: VNET: $93.86 million (17.0% of AUM) NASDAQ: QFIN: $45.14 million (8.2% of AUM) NYSE: BABA: $29.54 million (5.4% of AUM) NASDAQ: ATAT: $20.80 million (3.8% of AUM) As of May 13, 2026, GDS shares were priced at $45.70, up 67.2% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 by 40.69 percentage points. The fund reported 14 positions and $551.82 million in 13F reportable U.S. equity assets as of March 31, 2026. GDS’s position was previously 12.6% of the fund’s AUM as of the prior quarter. Company Overview Metric Value Price (as of market close 2026-05-13) $45.70 Market Capitalization $8.91 billion Revenue (TTM) $1.68 billion Net Income (TTM) $140.92 million Company Snapshot GDS Holdings Limited provides colocation, managed hosting, managed cloud, and consulting services, primarily through the development and operation of data centers in China. The company generates revenue by leasing critical infrastructure, pow...
00:00 Speaker A I got some research from Todd Sohn. I call him the ETF Whisperer over at Strategas ETF Research. Let's go to the Wi-Fi Interactive. I want to show you a chart that's just shows you how big the flows in the tech ETFs have been over, basically since March 30th and that is $20 billion. So, $20 billion has gone into large cap tech. If you take the other 10 sectors, they're all around t...
00:00 Speaker A I got some research from Todd Sohn. I call him the ETF Whisperer over at Strategas ETF Research. Let's go to the Wi-Fi Interactive. I want to show you a chart that's just shows you how big the flows in the tech ETFs have been over, basically since March 30th and that is $20 billion. So, $20 billion has gone into large cap tech. If you take the other 10 sectors, they're all around the zero line. I didn't have room to put them all in, but uh outside of tech 00:32 Speaker A it's actually negative $100 million. So, the problem for investors is if you don't want to be exposed to tech right now, you think it's too vol- volatile, that's actually hard to do. Probably not a surprise that ETFs like the Qs, that's a Nasdaq 100 ETF, or the Russell 1000 Growth ETF, they're over half tech, but you might be surprised to learn that a bunch of iShares ETFs, you have momentum, MTUM, 00:58 Speaker A uh quality QUAL, emerging markets, EEM and value, even value, up uh nearly over half and not all of those are half tech, but there are some of them are pretty close. So it just goes to show you in this kind of market, it's a little bit difficult to find some of those leaders. Now, what does he recommend? I have that in a heat map here. Now, there's different trades and I just want to show you all of these are underperforming the S&P 500. This is since those March 30 lows and the S&P is up 20%. 01:21 Speaker A And it just goes to show you how hard it is to make uh some alpha or even beta in this market if you're not involved in tech. But I just want to highlight Invesco uh low volatility ETF. We got a Morningstar dividend leaders Fund and uh we also have the dividend aristocrats ETF NOBL. All of those are potential uh leaders here. Also, Invesco leader and entertainment ETF. So there's a stab at the retail trade that doesn't involve Amazon or Tesla. 01:48 Speaker B Mhm.
While we make batteries based on many different chemistries, nothing has approached the massive scale at which we can produce lithium batteries. That scale makes the economics of lithium-ion batteries hard to compete with. Even if we develop a superior battery technology, it's unclear whether we can get manufacturing costs down quickly enough to compete with the efficiency of the lithium supply ch...
While we make batteries based on many different chemistries, nothing has approached the massive scale at which we can produce lithium batteries. That scale makes the economics of lithium-ion batteries hard to compete with. Even if we develop a superior battery technology, it's unclear whether we can get manufacturing costs down quickly enough to compete with the efficiency of the lithium supply chain and manufacturing. The one thing that could change the dynamics is a supply crunch. While lithium is extremely widespread, lithium that can be extracted economically is a different matter. It's cheapest to extract it from brines, and lithium-rich brines are largely limited to South America. We do obtain some lithium from other sources, but it's considerably more expensive. In today's issue of Science, however, a research team has identified an energy-efficient means of extracting lithium from rocks. The process they've designed uses far less energy than existing ones, regenerates all its starting chemicals, and produces byproducts that could also be sold. Read full article Comments
101dalmatians/iStock via Getty Images Last year was quite challenging for Procter & Gamble ( PG ) investors, as the stock fell sharply and now sits well below the 5-year performance of the broader consumer staples sector. So far 2026 has not been materially different, with PG continuing to underperform the State Street Consumer Staples Sector ETF ( XLP ), and the gap between the two has widened si...
101dalmatians/iStock via Getty Images Last year was quite challenging for Procter & Gamble ( PG ) investors, as the stock fell sharply and now sits well below the 5-year performance of the broader consumer staples sector. So far 2026 has not been materially different, with PG continuing to underperform the State Street Consumer Staples Sector ETF ( XLP ), and the gap between the two has widened significantly. Data by YCharts To make matters worse, the consumer staples sector has not been a good place to begin with, as the XLP sits at the very bottom on the 1- and 3-year sector performance chart. Seeking Alpha It should be mentioned, however, that the relative underperformance of PG and other Personal & Home Care businesses is largely due to the two large retailers included in the XLP—Costco ( COST ) and Walmart ( WMT ). Both of these stocks are up significantly over the past 5-year period, with WMT performing exceptionally well since 2014. Data by YCharts All that aside, PG's relative underperformance has now resulted in a more competitive dividend of almost 3% on a historical basis. Thus, the gap with the yield on 10-year U.S. Treasuries has narrowed down significantly (see the graph below). Data by YCharts As a result, the PG stock now looks increasingly attractive, especially if dividend increases from recent years are sustained. Moreover, the stock's earnings multiple now stands at its lowest levels for the past 5-year period, which could result in an additional tailwind for anyone buying at current levels and remaining patient. Data by YCharts Of course, everything said so far depends on Procter & Gamble management's ability to continue increasing the dividend and the trend in the company's return on capital over the coming years. Is The Dividend Worth It? In the current environment where interest rates have been normalizing, a dividend yield of 3% does not stand out as exceptionally attractive. Even when compared to the dividends offered by peers, PG's yield s...
Luke Sharrett/Getty Images News Palantir’s ( PLTR ) stock basically trades at the same levels at which it was trading nearly two months ago when we published our latest bearish article on the company. The stock is also down around 25% YTD, and even a fairly successful earnings report for Q1 , which was released earlier this month, didn’t help much to lift the shares higher. This shows that excessi...
Luke Sharrett/Getty Images News Palantir’s ( PLTR ) stock basically trades at the same levels at which it was trading nearly two months ago when we published our latest bearish article on the company. The stock is also down around 25% YTD, and even a fairly successful earnings report for Q1 , which was released earlier this month, didn’t help much to lift the shares higher. This shows that excessive growth is no longer enough to justify further appreciation since there’s a risk that an aggressive growth rate won’t last forever. This is because the rise of agentic AI, along with the change in sentiment surrounding software stocks, makes it hard to justify a long position in Palantir, especially at the current excessive multiples. Also, if the good earnings report failed to push the shares higher, then it’s hard to see the emergence of any other significant event that could push Palantir’s stock to its highs, which were previously achieved back in November. Because of that, we continue to rate Palantir as a Sell and believe that the stock has more room to fall. Disruption Is On The Way There’s no denying that the Q1 report itself was good. During the quarter, revenue increased by 84.4% Y/Y to $1.63 billion and was above the expectations by $90 million. Earnings were also above the estimates, but that didn’t stop Palantir’s stock from depreciating and slowly falling down to this day. This is because the environment in which Palantir as a business operates is changing, and it becomes hard for the market to justify its excessive multiples. As of now, Palantir trades at over 90 times its forward non-GAAP earnings and over 40 times its forward sales. This is still fairly significant in comparison to the overall sector, even after the latest depreciation of the stock. The bigger issue, though, is that Palantir’s business itself is now at the risk of disruption. After releasing AIP in the spring of 2023, Palantir’s stock has significantly increased in value as there was a ma...
Chief executives are increasingly focused on cyber threats, geopolitical instability, and the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence as the most significant risks facing their industries, according to the latest Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence survey. The survey, which gauges corporate leaders’ views on current and future business conditions, showed 65% of CEOs ranked cyber risk as ...
Chief executives are increasingly focused on cyber threats, geopolitical instability, and the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence as the most significant risks facing their industries, according to the latest Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence survey. The survey, which gauges corporate leaders’ views on current and future business conditions, showed 65% of CEOs ranked cyber risk as a high-impact concern in the second quarter of 2026, up from 56% in the first quarter. Geopolitical risks followed closely at 62%, compared with 59% previously. Concerns tied to AI and emerging technologies also remained elevated, though the share of CEOs identifying the issue as a major risk dipped slightly to 57% from 60% in the prior quarter. Financial and economic risks were cited by 49% of respondents, while legal and regulatory pressures stood at 40%. Supply chain and energy-related risks posted some of the largest quarterly increases, rising to 36% and 34%, respectively. Trade and tariff concerns held steady at 32%. Meanwhile, worries surrounding pandemics and infectious diseases eased notably, falling to 16% from 23%, while climate and social unrest risks remained comparatively low. Market Tracking ETFs: ( DIA ), ( DDM ), ( DOG ), ( DXD ), ( SDOW ), ( SPY ), ( VOO ), ( IVV ), ( RSP ), ( SSO ), ( UPRO ), ( SH ), ( SDS ), ( SPXU ), ( QQQ ), ( QQQM ), ( TQQQ ), ( QID ), and ( SQQQ ). More on markets Retail traders beat Wall Street benchmarks with AI stock picks, JPMorgan says S&P 500 hits new record high while VIX falls to a 4-month low on U.S.-Iran news Citadel Securities highlights best S&P 500 earnings season since COVID recovery Strong S&P 500 earnings and AI momentum drive Citi’s large-cap outlook Trump says the U.S. is ‘not satisfied’ with Iran talks in cabinet meeting
The Federal Trade Commission has launched a sweeping antitrust investigation into soaring fertilizer prices, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson announced Thursday, citing the financial strain higher input costs have placed on U.S. farmers. Speaking at a Texas Corn Producers event near Dallas, Ferguson said the agency had already begun an industrywide review of fertilizer pricing trends. He pointed to go...
The Federal Trade Commission has launched a sweeping antitrust investigation into soaring fertilizer prices, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson announced Thursday, citing the financial strain higher input costs have placed on U.S. farmers. Speaking at a Texas Corn Producers event near Dallas, Ferguson said the agency had already begun an industrywide review of fertilizer pricing trends. He pointed to government data showing fertilizer costs have been the largest contributor to rising farm expenses since 2020, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. “USDA data has shown the single largest increase in input costs of farmers across the United States since 2020 has come from fertilizer,” Ferguson told an audience of corn growers gathered to discuss the issue. The FTC chairman didn’t identify any companies involved in the inquiry or provide details about its scope. The investigation comes as fertilizer markets have experienced renewed volatility. Prices climbed earlier this year after attacks on Iran disrupted global trade routes and tightened supplies of key crop nutrients. The surge boosted earnings for some major producers, including CF Industries ( CF ) and Nutrien ( NTR ), while other companies, such as Mosaic ( MOS ), faced pressure from rising costs for their own raw materials. The fertilizer sector has long drawn attention from regulators and farm groups because a relatively small number of companies dominate much of the U.S. market. The FTC’s review follows separate Justice Department investigations into potential price-fixing and collusion among major fertilizer manufacturers. Bloomberg News previously reported that federal prosecutors were conducting both criminal and civil inquiries involving several leading producers. According to that report, companies under DOJ scrutiny include Nutrien, Mosaic, CF Industries, Koch and Norway-based Yara International. Together, CF Industries, Koch, Yara and Nutrien account for a significant share of the nitrogen fertilizer sold in the ...
Key Points Microsoft's valuation is moving higher after Morgan Stanley outlined a bullish forecast for the company's cloud businesses. Microsoft looks poised to benefit from a new partnership between Dell and the Department of Defense. A recent report also suggests the company is poised to debut new AI applications next week. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Microsoft (NA...
Key Points Microsoft's valuation is moving higher after Morgan Stanley outlined a bullish forecast for the company's cloud businesses. Microsoft looks poised to benefit from a new partnership between Dell and the Department of Defense. A recent report also suggests the company is poised to debut new AI applications next week. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) stock is seeing significant bullish momentum in Thursday's trading. The tech giant's share price was up 3.4% as of 3:05 p.m. ET. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite were up 0.5% and 0.6%, respectively, at the same point in the day's trading. The stock has been up as much as 4.1% earlier in the daily session. Microsoft is gaining ground today in response to positive analyst coverage of the company's cloud infrastructure opportunities, potential opportunities in the defense services space, and reports that the company is poised to unveil a new coding model in the near future. Despite the gains for the stock, its share price is still down roughly 12% year to date as of this writing. 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 » Morgan Stanley sees strong growth tailwinds for Microsoft's cloud unit In a note published yesterday, Morgan Stanley analysts laid out a bullish growth trajectory for Microsoft's cloud infrastructure business. The investment firm's team sees Microsoft rapidly expanding its data center capacity and expects that monetization will scale rapidly as the new systems come online. With the tech giant expanding its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud infrastructure data center footprint and the demand for compute surging, Morgan Stanley's analysts think Microsoft could see much stronger monetization in the near future. Defense-related news and new coding software are also lif...