DNY59/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis Chord Energy ( CHRD ) just bought the Williston Basin from Exxon at $40 a barrel to get to breakeven, increased its 2026 oil volume guidance without any additional capital outlays, and is still only trading at 7.5X forward earnings . There are some legitimate reasons not to like the stock. Production is flat, and Seeking Alpha Quant has CHRD as a hol...
DNY59/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis Chord Energy ( CHRD ) just bought the Williston Basin from Exxon at $40 a barrel to get to breakeven, increased its 2026 oil volume guidance without any additional capital outlays, and is still only trading at 7.5X forward earnings . There are some legitimate reasons not to like the stock. Production is flat, and Seeking Alpha Quant has CHRD as a hold with a Growth Factor Grade of F. These are facts, but they are the wrong lenses through which to view the stock. Sometimes multiples aren’t the whole story if the market is still catching up to the reality on the ground. CHRD is printing money with a $1.4B free cash flow against an only $8B market cap, with the lowest leverage of any of its regional peers and a CEO who has been forthright about their appetite to pursue M&A. I rate CHRD a buy. Company Overview CHRD is what emerged out of the Oasis–Whiting merger, a survivor of a spate of oil busts that happened in and around 2014. Two years later the company added Canadian exposure with the acquisition of Enerplus. CHRD operates 1.3 million acres mostly in the Bakken, pumps about 277,000 barrels per day, of which oil is 57%, and has managed their financials so that capital sufficiently covers the company’s operating needs. The XTO deal was financed with $750M in debt that a September 30, 2025 8-K gives the detail on. Integration is moving along at a brisk pace, as CHRD's Q1 2026 10-Q shows, though this work won’t really impact the company’s financials until 2027 or 2028. Q1 2025 Q1 2026 Y/Y Oil, NGL and gas revenues $1,103M $1,151M +4% Operating income $338M $333M -1% Adjusted free cash flow n/d $324M n/m Capital returned to shareholders $296M $145M -51% Derivative mark-to-market (loss) $(20)M $(241)M n/m Net income $220M $109M -50% Diluted EPS $3.66 $1.90 -48% Diluted weighted-avg shares (M) 59.7 56.8 -4.9% Click to enlarge Sources: CHRD Q1 2026 10-Q; 8-K dated May 5, 2026; Q1 2026 earnings call transcript. n/d = not sepa...
Photo: VCG China’s soccer authorities issued a new round of punishments in a widening crackdown on match-fixing, gambling and corruption, imposing lifetime bans on 17 people and shorter bans on 48 others, including former executives at some of the country’s best-known clubs. The Chinese Football Association said Thursday that the 17 people had been found by courts to have committed crimes and woul...
Photo: VCG China’s soccer authorities issued a new round of punishments in a widening crackdown on match-fixing, gambling and corruption, imposing lifetime bans on 17 people and shorter bans on 48 others, including former executives at some of the country’s best-known clubs. The Chinese Football Association said Thursday that the 17 people had been found by courts to have committed crimes and would be barred for life from any soccer-related activity. The association also said 48 people who had seriously violated industry rules would be banned from soccer-related work for five years or less.
Alexey_Fedoren Stock index futures rose Friday as traders grew optimistic about a potential resolution to tensions between the U.S. and Iran. S&P 500 futures ( SPX ) advanced 0.30% to 7,468.18, while Nasdaq 100 futures ( US100:IND ) gained 0.22% to 29,422.07. Dow futures ( INDU ) climbed 0.27% to 50,419.09. Market sentiment was boosted by renewed hopes for a potential diplomatic agreement to ease ...
Alexey_Fedoren Stock index futures rose Friday as traders grew optimistic about a potential resolution to tensions between the U.S. and Iran. S&P 500 futures ( SPX ) advanced 0.30% to 7,468.18, while Nasdaq 100 futures ( US100:IND ) gained 0.22% to 29,422.07. Dow futures ( INDU ) climbed 0.27% to 50,419.09. Market sentiment was boosted by renewed hopes for a potential diplomatic agreement to ease the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. In other news, President Donald Trump will host the swearing-in of Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair at the White House on Friday. I nvestors were also preparing for consumer sentiment and leading indicator data later in the day. U.S. Treasury yields were mixed across the curve. The 10-year Treasury yield ( US10Y ) slipped 0.1 basis points to 4.57%, while the 2-year Treasury yield ( US2Y ) edged up 0.5 basis points to 4.10%. The 30-year Treasury yield ( US30Y ) fell 0.3 basis points to 5.09%. Top gainers in premarket trading included Workday ( WDAY ) +11.06%, Estée Lauder ( EL ) +10.25%, and Take-Two Interactive ( TTWO ) +6.24%. Decliners included Fortive ( FTV ) -1.93%, Atmos Energy ( ATO ) -1.92%, and Live Nation Entertainment ( LYV ) -1.91%. More on markets Belated Comments On The AI Boom AAII Sentiment Survey: Optimism Disappears Dow Jones, Nasdaq And S&P 500 Intraday Levels - Stock Markets Stall, Too Early For The Deal? Oil surge, bond selloff rattle markets as Iran standoff drags on
Maks_Lab/iStock via Getty Images The UK economy is facing a perfect storm as rising political uncertainty adds to the growing impact from the war in the Middle East. Businesses are reporting falling output, surging inflation, supply shortages and job cuts in May. The May PMI data indicate that the economy contracted at a 0.2% quarterly rate, representing a marked contrast to the robust growth seen...
Maks_Lab/iStock via Getty Images The UK economy is facing a perfect storm as rising political uncertainty adds to the growing impact from the war in the Middle East. Businesses are reporting falling output, surging inflation, supply shortages and job cuts in May. The May PMI data indicate that the economy contracted at a 0.2% quarterly rate, representing a marked contrast to the robust growth seen earlier in the year. The blame lies first and foremost with the war in the Middle East, though companies are also noting that domestic politics are taking an increasing toll, driving uncertainty higher, in turn deterring spending, hiring and investment. Things could well get worse in the coming months, as we have been seeing some support to manufacturing from precautionary stock building, which will inevitably fade once warehouses are full. Just as the economy shows signs of sinking into decline, prices are surging higher to herald a marked upturn in inflation in the months ahead as these costs pass through to consumers. This combination of a faltering economy and spiking price pressures leaves the Bank of England in a major quandary, facing the growing need to hike rates to help contain inflation but thereby adding to recession risks. Output falls in May The headline Composite PMI Output Index fell sharply in May, according to the preliminary ‘flash’ reading, down from 52.6 in April to 48.5. Dropping below the 50.0 no-change level, the PMI signalled the first fall in output since April of last year, when the US tariff announcement caused a brief downturn. May’s decline matched that seen last April to represent the joint-sharpest fall in output since late 2022. May’s flash PMI reading is consistent with the economy contracting at a 0.2% quarterly rate. Service sector activity slumps The decline was led by the service sector, where business activity fell at a rate not seen since the COVID-19 lockdown in January 2021, reversing a growth rebound seen in April. New orders plac...
Little Did We Know Wood, on Thursday, quoted a post on X that showed Tesla Board member Ira Ehrenpreis recreating a moment from the Tesla Model S launch in 2012. “Little did we know in 2012 that Tesla's Model S would lead not only to an energy storage revolution but also to the convergence of robotics, AI, and space exploration,” Wood said. She also outlined Musk and SpaceX’s push towards lunar an...
Little Did We Know Wood, on Thursday, quoted a post on X that showed Tesla Board member Ira Ehrenpreis recreating a moment from the Tesla Model S launch in 2012. “Little did we know in 2012 that Tesla's Model S would lead not only to an energy storage revolution but also to the convergence of robotics, AI, and space exploration,” Wood said. She also outlined Musk and SpaceX’s push towards lunar and Mars exploration endeavors. “Always grateful to @elonmusk, and to @IraEhrenpreis who has been by his side,” she said. Tesla Model S, X Sunset SpaceX IPO, $28.5 Trillion Opportunity SpaceX also revealed a potential $28.5 trillion total addressable market (TAM) for the commercial space flight giant in its latest filings, with artificial intelligence comprising the biggest opportunity at over $26.5 trillion for SpaceX. Possible Impact On TSLA? Benzinga Edge Rankings show that Tesla scores well on the Growth and Quality metrics and offers a favorable price trend in the Long Term. Price Action: Tesla shares were up 0.43% at $419.66 during the overnight trading session after market close on Thursday. Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock.com
A new company backed by International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) is receiving a $1 billion U.S. government investment to establish America’s first quantum foundry, supporting Wall Street forecasts that IBM will be a central player in the global quantum industry. Validating The ‘Massive Upside’ This historic federal backing confirms Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives‘ thesis. Analyzing the...
A new company backed by International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) is receiving a $1 billion U.S. government investment to establish America’s first quantum foundry, supporting Wall Street forecasts that IBM will be a central player in the global quantum industry. Validating The ‘Massive Upside’ This historic federal backing confirms Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives‘ thesis. Analyzing the tech sector’s trajectory, Ives told CNBC that IBM is a “sleeping giant” and praised its strategic direction, noting that IBM “continues to be one that has massive upside.” Ives forecasted this type of aggressive government intervention. Highlighting the technological “arms race” between the U.S. and China, he stated investors needed to watch the White House, predicting they were “going to continue to make stakes no different than Intel.” That foresight materialized flawlessly with this new CHIPS Act funding strategy. Read Also: D-Wave Quantum, IBM, Infleqtion, Rigetti Computing And Walmart: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today The $1 Billion Quantum Bet Through the CHIPS and Science Act, the Department of Commerce signed a Letter of Intent to award IBM $1 billion. The funds will establish Anderon, a new, standalone, pure-play quantum foundry located in Albany, New York. To solidify the initiative, IBM will match the federal funding with its own $1 billion cash investment. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick championed the historic federal award, declaring that the administration is “leading the world into a new era of American innovation.” Anderon will specialize in producing 300-millimeter quantum wafers, creating a secure domestic supply chain for the nation’s critical infrastructure. Broadening The Tech Ecosystem IBM’s foundry win is the anchor of a broader $2 billion federal push into the technology. The administration is also allocating $375 million to GlobalFoundries Inc. (NASDAQ:GFS) and directing $100 million in equity-based awards to smaller firms su...
U.S. business representatives, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, arrive at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14. Photo: VCG U.S. President Donald Trump’s summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing last week highlighted how deeply intertwined major American companies remain with the world’s second-largest economy despite...
U.S. business representatives, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, arrive at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14. Photo: VCG U.S. President Donald Trump’s summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing last week highlighted how deeply intertwined major American companies remain with the world’s second-largest economy despite years of geopolitical and trade tensions. The business executives accompanying Trump came from industries at the center of U.S.-China competition — including finance, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), consumer technology, biotechnology and aerospace.
Key Points SpaceX just revealed its financials in its S-1. The company's growth is slowing, and its losses are widening. The stock looks significantly overvalued, and it could inflate valuations across the AI sector. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Talk of an AI bubble has faded since late last year, when signs of weakness in some AI stocks and fears around circular deal...
Key Points SpaceX just revealed its financials in its S-1. The company's growth is slowing, and its losses are widening. The stock looks significantly overvalued, and it could inflate valuations across the AI sector. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Talk of an AI bubble has faded since late last year, when signs of weakness in some AI stocks and fears around circular deals triggered a sell-off in names like Nvidia. Since then, a shortage in memory chips and strong demand growth have sent AI stocks surging again, with major indexes hitting all-time highs following the dip over the Iran war. 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 » However, a bursting bubble is still a very real possibility. Semiconductors are historically cyclical, after all, and prone to price swings due to inventory gluts and shortages. That's especially true with memory. Now, the AI bubble could face its biggest test with the IPO of SpaceX, which just filed its S-1, showing key numbers ahead of its intended listing in June. What we just learned about SpaceX SpaceX has gotten a lot of attention because it's a unique company with leading positions in reusable rockets and satellite internet, and because it's led by Elon Musk, the visionary entrepreneur who has already built one trillion-dollar company, Tesla, and is set to take another one public, as SpaceX could fetch a valuation of as high as $2 trillion. However, we now have a clear view of SpaceX's financials, and they don't look like the typical $2 trillion company. In the first quarter, SpaceX's revenue grew by just 15.4% to $4.7 billion, and it reported a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) operating loss of $1.9 billion, compared to a profit of $27 million in the quarter a year ago. In 2025, revenue rose 33.2% to $18.7 billion, a...
Bowing to pressure from within its ranks, the Democratic National Committee released on Thursday its long-withheld “autopsy” of Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race – only to quickly disavow it. The report found that Democrats have ceded ground to Trump’s Republicans through underfunding of state parties and a “persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all v...
Bowing to pressure from within its ranks, the Democratic National Committee released on Thursday its long-withheld “autopsy” of Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race – only to quickly disavow it. The report found that Democrats have ceded ground to Trump’s Republicans through underfunding of state parties and a “persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all voters”. In particular, Democrats underperformed among male voters, non-college voters, irregular voters and rural voters, it said. The report was released less than six months before November’s midterm congressional elections. Advertisement In a statement accompanying the release, DNC Chairman Ken Martin said it “does not meet my standards, and it won’t meet your standards”, but he said it was being published to restore trust in the party. The 192-page document includes a disclaimer at the top of each page stating that it “reflects the views of the author, not the DNC”, and notes appended throughout highlight inaccuracies as well as conclusions offered without evidence. Advertisement The report was written by Paul Rivera, a Democratic consultant, who could not immediately be reached for comment. It was completed late last year, and some Democrats were angry it was being kept secret.
Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. grew its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:TSM - Free Report) by 52.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,342 shares of the semiconductor company's stock after purchasing an additional 1,832 shares during the quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc.'s ...
Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. grew its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:TSM - Free Report) by 52.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,342 shares of the semiconductor company's stock after purchasing an additional 1,832 shares during the quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc.'s holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $1,623,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Get TSM alerts: Sign Up Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in TSM. Oak Harvest Investment Services lifted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 2.9% during the fourth quarter. Oak Harvest Investment Services now owns 1,106 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $336,000 after purchasing an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. Falcon Wealth Planning lifted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 4.4% during the fourth quarter. Falcon Wealth Planning now owns 780 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $237,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. Drive Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. Drive Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,997 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $1,522,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. Westfuller Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 2.2% during the third quarter. Westfuller Advisors LLC now owns 1,551 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $434,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sovereign Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 4.5% during the fourth quarter. Sovereign Financial Group Inc. now owns 793 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $241,000...
Former Malaysian economy minister Rafizi Ramli’s breakaway gamble is unlikely to bring down Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on its own, analysts say, but could still wound the ruling coalition by peeling away reformist voters who helped Pakatan Harapan (PH) take power in 2022. Rafizi and former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad announced on Sunday that th...
Former Malaysian economy minister Rafizi Ramli’s breakaway gamble is unlikely to bring down Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on its own, analysts say, but could still wound the ruling coalition by peeling away reformist voters who helped Pakatan Harapan (PH) take power in 2022. Rafizi and former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad announced on Sunday that they would quit Anwar’s People Justice Party (PKR), vacate their parliamentary seats and take over Parti Bersama Malaysia, a small party founded in Penang in 2016. The move came the same day that Anwar’s coalition tried to project discipline at a convention in the southern state of Johor, sharpening the sense that Malaysia is drifting into campaign mode before a general election that must be held by February 17, 2028. Advertisement The Election Commission on Wednesday said there would be no by-elections for Rafizi’s Pandan seat or Nik Nazmi’s Setiawangsa seat after lower house Speaker Johari Abdul informed it there was no requirement to fill the vacancies under Article 54(1) of the Federal Constitution. Rafizi Ramli (right) and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad model Bersama T-shirts. Photo: X/Rafizi Ramli Rafizi, once deputy president of Anwar’s PKR and widely seen as one of PH’s sharpest campaign strategists, built his political brand on data-driven attacks, viral messaging and bread-and-butter issues that spoke to urban voters frustrated with old-style politics. He rose as one of the coalition’s most recognisable reformist figures before falling out with the party establishment after losing the PKR deputy presidency last year.