One of my favorite beaten-down growth stocks to buy right now is Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) . The coffee shop operator has been hitting on all cylinders, but its stock is now about 35% off its highs. I own shares at a cost basis just below where the stock is currently trading and think this is a great entry point for new investors. Dutch Bros is a classic regional-to-national expansion story. Its roo...
One of my favorite beaten-down growth stocks to buy right now is Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) . The coffee shop operator has been hitting on all cylinders, but its stock is now about 35% off its highs. I own shares at a cost basis just below where the stock is currently trading and think this is a great entry point for new investors. Dutch Bros is a classic regional-to-national expansion story. Its roots are in the Northwest U.S., but it's been gradually expanding eastward. It recently went further east when it acquired the North and South Carolina chain Clutch Coffee Bar and converted its shops into Dutch Bros locations. The initial response has been positive, with the first seven converted shops seeing average unit volumes (AUVs) triple their pre-conversion volumes and score higher than the company's systemwide AUVs. This is a good indication of the brand momentum that Dutch Bros has, even in markets further away from its base. Despite a tough consumer environment, Dutch Bros has consistently been seeing strong same-store sales growth. This continued in the first quarter, when the company reported an impressive 8.3% increase in comparable-store sales with a 5.1% increase in transactions. Company-owned stores performed even better, with same-store sales up 10.6% on a 6.9% rise in transactions. The growth was driven by drink innovations, including limited-time offerings (LTOs), and by mobile order-ahead. Continue reading
V2images/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Baidu ( BIDU ) is expected to report first-quarter earnings on Monday before U.S. markets open, with Wall Street forecasting a sharp decline in profit even as revenue edges higher. The consensus EPS estimate is $1.68 (-34.1% Y/Y), and the consensus revenue estimate is $4.65B (+4.0% Y/Y). Baidu stock has lost 8% of its value so far this year as the compan...
V2images/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Baidu ( BIDU ) is expected to report first-quarter earnings on Monday before U.S. markets open, with Wall Street forecasting a sharp decline in profit even as revenue edges higher. The consensus EPS estimate is $1.68 (-34.1% Y/Y), and the consensus revenue estimate is $4.65B (+4.0% Y/Y). Baidu stock has lost 8% of its value so far this year as the company navigates a prolonged slump in its core advertising business, where the rise of AI-powered search has steadily eroded revenue. The company has been leaning on its cloud and AI services to make up the difference. In the fourth quarter of last year, subscription-based revenue from AI infrastructure within that division jumped 143% from a year earlier, a figure that signaled a shift toward more predictable, recurring income. "The strengthening AI cloud subscription revenue momentum and AI-native marketing are key growth drivers amid core search headwinds," Seeking Alpha analyst said. AI-linked marketing revenue will also be under scrutiny. In the fourth quarter, that segment brought in 2.7B yuan, more than double what it generated in the same period a year earlier. Beyond the quarterly numbers, attention will turn to Baidu's plans for Kunlunxin , its AI chip subsidiary. Baidu has been working toward a dual listing for Kunlunxin on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Shanghai's STAR Market, with reports suggesting it is targeting a valuation of around 100B yuan, or roughly $14.7B. Baidu owns roughly 58% of Kunlunxin. The chip maker, created to supply Baidu's own AI computing needs, has since grown its external customer base to account for about half of revenue. Experts say the planned IPO would shift the capital spending burden associated with Kunlunxin's chip development onto public investors while potentially accelerating growth by making the unit more accessible to customers who have been reluctant to work with a Baidu subsidiary. Over the last 2 years, BIDU has beaten EPS es...
Four crew members involved in a mid-air collision of military jets at an air show ejected safely on Sunday outside Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, the US Navy said. Two E/A-18G Growler jets collided in mid-air two miles from the base during the two-day Gunfighter Skies Air Show, said Commander Amelia Umayam, a spokeswoman for Naval Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet. The two jets with four cre...
Four crew members involved in a mid-air collision of military jets at an air show ejected safely on Sunday outside Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, the US Navy said. Two E/A-18G Growler jets collided in mid-air two miles from the base during the two-day Gunfighter Skies Air Show, said Commander Amelia Umayam, a spokeswoman for Naval Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet. The two jets with four crew collided “while performing an aerial demonstration” as part of the air show, Umayam said, noting...
Good morning . China agrees to buy billions in US farm products. India’s AI miss puts its stock market at risk. A Swatch craze causes global store shutdowns. Listen to the day’s top stories . China agreed to buy at least $17 billion in American agricultural products annually through 2028, the US announced, while Beijing said it had agreed to ease some tariffs on unspecified products after the summ...
Good morning . China agrees to buy billions in US farm products. India’s AI miss puts its stock market at risk. A Swatch craze causes global store shutdowns. Listen to the day’s top stories . China agreed to buy at least $17 billion in American agricultural products annually through 2028, the US announced, while Beijing said it had agreed to ease some tariffs on unspecified products after the summit. President Lai Ching-te reaffirmed Taiwan’s sovereignty as Donald Trump weighs a $14 billion arms sale to Taipei. Xi Jinping is set to meet Vladimir Putin this week. The US and Iran remain deadlocked over a deal to stop fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as regional attacks, including a drone strike on a UAE nuclear facility, escalate risks. Iraq is planning a major post-conflict crude production boost, and Trump let a Russian oil sanctions waiver lapse. European allies had opposed the waiver, while India and Indonesia had lobbied for an extension. Australia Says Tax Changes Aim to Fix Broken Housing Market Read more Samsung and its largest labor union are resuming negotiations in what South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-Seok called a “last chance” to avoid a threatened strike that has rattled investor sentiment and sent the company’s shares lower . The dispute centers on performance-based pay, with the union demanding 15% of operating profit for bonuses and Samsung offering 10%. The government warned it may intervene to prevent “unimaginable” damage. The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization after a rare Bundibugyo strain spread undetected for weeks, killing at least 87 people. While the DRC is experienced in Ebola response, there’s no approved vaccine, and containment efforts are strained by conflict, weak infrastructure and reduced US aid funding . The US Centers for Disease Control plans to deploy additional staff to affected countries and provide technical sup...
British Chambers of Commerce survey shows firms ‘are dealing with rising levels of theft, fraud and cyber-attacks’ UK business leaders have warned that crime is becoming an increasingly “serious barrier” to growing Britain’s economy amid a rise in shoplifting, fraud and cyber-attacks against companies. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), which represents tens of thousands of businesses across ...
British Chambers of Commerce survey shows firms ‘are dealing with rising levels of theft, fraud and cyber-attacks’ UK business leaders have warned that crime is becoming an increasingly “serious barrier” to growing Britain’s economy amid a rise in shoplifting, fraud and cyber-attacks against companies. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), which represents tens of thousands of businesses across the country, called on the government to provide “a step change in the support businesses can count on” as it said two-fifths of companies had experienced some form of crime in the past year. Continue reading...
Hong Kong should not limit the number of vehicles licensed to provide ride-hailing services. In particular, every owner of an electric vehicle that complies with the regulations should, in principle, be able to obtain one on demand by paying the required fee. Normal market forces, together with fees and other licensing requirements, will be sufficient to strike the right balance. I have used ride-...
Hong Kong should not limit the number of vehicles licensed to provide ride-hailing services. In particular, every owner of an electric vehicle that complies with the regulations should, in principle, be able to obtain one on demand by paying the required fee. Normal market forces, together with fees and other licensing requirements, will be sufficient to strike the right balance. I have used ride-hailing services a lot recently. Knee replacement surgery has restricted my mobility, and I have a...
Iran Launches Crypto-Based "Hormuz Safe" Insurance Platform For Ships Crossing Strait Via The Cradle The Islamic Republic of Iran has launched a digital insurance platform, titled Hormuz Safe , in order to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and provide coverage for commercial vessels. The platform will rely on cryptocurrency payments from vessels and is being advanced by the Irani...
Iran Launches Crypto-Based "Hormuz Safe" Insurance Platform For Ships Crossing Strait Via The Cradle The Islamic Republic of Iran has launched a digital insurance platform, titled Hormuz Safe , in order to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and provide coverage for commercial vessels. The platform will rely on cryptocurrency payments from vessels and is being advanced by the Iranian Economy Ministry , according to a Saturday report by Fars News Agency . "The Ministry of Economy is advancing a plan that would make the management of the Strait of Hormuz possible through insurance - a model that would be acceptable to other countries during peacetime while still allowing Iran to exercise control over the Strait," the agency’s correspondent reported, citing a government document. via Associated Press "Under this plan, Iran would achieve informational dominance and be able to distinguish between the transit of vessels from different countries ," the report added. "From an international law perspective, while imposing tolls on ships in the post-war period may be possible, it would carry political costs. Management of the Strait would then be limited to selling services, which, under the best circumstances, would generate up to $2 billion in revenue for Iran. Under the Economy Ministry's plan, managing the strait through an insurance framework would enable the issuance of various marine insurance policies as well as certificates of financial responsibility," it explained. According to the document, the plan will start with insurance covering inspection, detention, and confiscation . Damage from military attacks would not be covered. The ministry estimates that "this approach, while assuming low risk, would generate over $10 billion in revenue " for Iran. Since the start of the unprovoked US-Israeli war on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz has been closed to Washington and Tel Aviv. Chinese ships and vessels belonging to other nations, which have coordinated with ...
Most people appreciate hearing the truth. However, rumors and myths can be kind of fun. It's only when a person can't tell the difference between a myth and reality that a problem arises. Since 1935 -- when Social Security was first introduced -- stories about the program have swirled. And now that Social Security's Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is projected to be depleted by 2033, so...
Most people appreciate hearing the truth. However, rumors and myths can be kind of fun. It's only when a person can't tell the difference between a myth and reality that a problem arises. Since 1935 -- when Social Security was first introduced -- stories about the program have swirled. And now that Social Security's Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is projected to be depleted by 2033, some myths have gained steam. Here, we look at five of the whoppers and examine the truth behind them. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Arm Holdings ( ARM ) is facing a U.S. antitrust investigation into whether the company is using its dominant position in semiconductor licensing to disadvantage rivals as it expands into designing its own chips, Bloomberg News reported late Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Federal Trade Commission is examining whether Arm ( ARM ) could restrict or degrade access to key processor...
Arm Holdings ( ARM ) is facing a U.S. antitrust investigation into whether the company is using its dominant position in semiconductor licensing to disadvantage rivals as it expands into designing its own chips, Bloomberg News reported late Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Federal Trade Commission is examining whether Arm ( ARM ) could restrict or degrade access to key processor technology licenses while building a larger in-house chip business. Investigators have reportedly asked the company to preserve documents tied to the inquiry. The probe adds to growing global scrutiny of Arm’s business model at a time when the chip industry is racing to capitalize on demand from artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data centers. For investors, the investigation highlights rising regulatory risks surrounding one of the semiconductor industry’s most important technology suppliers. Any restrictions on Arm’s licensing practices could ripple across major chipmakers and device manufacturers that depend on its architecture, including Qualcomm and Apple. Arm’s shares slipped slightly Friday, though the stock has nearly doubled this year amid enthusiasm over AI-related semiconductor demand. The company, majority-owned by SoftBank Group, has historically focused on licensing chip designs and processor instruction sets rather than manufacturing chips itself. But Arm’s recent push into developing more complete processor products has raised concerns among some customers and competitors that it could compete directly with companies that rely on its technology. Qualcomm ( QCOM ) has been among the most vocal critics. The dispute between the two companies stretches back several years and intensified after Qualcomm acquired startup Nuvia in 2021, leading to a legal fight over Arm licensing rights. Qualcomm later prevailed in court, though Arm continues to appeal aspects of the case. Regulators in Europe and South Korea have also reviewed complaints related to Arm’s...