Artivion (AORT) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock doesn't suggest further strength down the road.
Artivion (AORT) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock doesn't suggest further strength down the road.
Joe Hendrickson/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Back in February, my focus was centered around SoFi Technologies’ ( SOFI ) dilution and the extent to which the market no longer sees a rationale for paying the high multiple based on the heavy equity capital raise cycles that the company had to go through. Although this remains true, it has taken a back seat now because the main challenge facing t...
Joe Hendrickson/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Back in February, my focus was centered around SoFi Technologies’ ( SOFI ) dilution and the extent to which the market no longer sees a rationale for paying the high multiple based on the heavy equity capital raise cycles that the company had to go through. Although this remains true, it has taken a back seat now because the main challenge facing the stock now is that of a weakening macro environment, attacks from short sellers, and growing questions regarding the robustness of its model. The thesis here has shifted to a credibility narrative. I am not as interested in the story at this point but more in seeing whether the model works. The Platform Shift Meets a Credit Cycle Reality Check What is most relevant right now is the intersection of SoFi's evolving model and an increasingly unfavorable macro setup. No question about it, SoFi has made tangible progress in diversifying its model. Financial Services and Tech Platform combined posted record revenue of $579 million in Q4, which represents a 61% YoY increase, while the fee-based segment generated record quarterly revenue of $443 million. What that means is that SoFi has a much stronger argument for being a diversified platform business rather than a lending machine wrapped in tech jargon. However, there is another way to frame the same development. Yes, SoFi is moving toward the fee-based model. But what is important now is how quickly the company manages to achieve the transformation compared to what worries the market the most in the stress scenario. SoFi shares were caught in the broader fintech sell-off amid growing fears that tariffs would trigger a US recession and hurt consumers' ability to repay their debts. When the tape is tough, investors try to identify the potential weak spot and for SoFi, it is likely credit sensitivity and any interruption of the platform narrative driven by a more challenging consumer environment. Thus, I am more interested in the...
Key PointsNew research indicates that quantum computers might be able to crack the encryption protecting most cryptocurrencies sooner than anticipated.
Key PointsNew research indicates that quantum computers might be able to crack the encryption protecting most cryptocurrencies sooner than anticipated.
BJP7images/iStock via Getty Images Rare earth elements have come under increasing focus owing to their criticality to defense equipment manufacturing and clean technology. China has monopolized this supply chain for over two decades and has not shied away from using it for geopolitical leverage, forcing others to think of a diversification strategy. This is Part 2 of a 5-part series in which Platt...
BJP7images/iStock via Getty Images Rare earth elements have come under increasing focus owing to their criticality to defense equipment manufacturing and clean technology. China has monopolized this supply chain for over two decades and has not shied away from using it for geopolitical leverage, forcing others to think of a diversification strategy. This is Part 2 of a 5-part series in which Platts News explores the strategies under play and the challenges they face. Rare earth mining projects outside China face significant economic challenges due to geological differences that make extraction and refining more expensive than Chinese operations, industry experts told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. Governments and companies are racing to build new supply chains of critical minerals essential for defense and next-generation manufacturing. Politicians, concerned about China's dominant position in mineral markets and its influence over trade, have turned to industrial policies to support mining projects, including equity stakes, price floors and strategic stockpiling. However, China's geological advantages with its rare earth mines may outweigh any policy or pricing boost offered by other countries. Many rare earth deposits outside China predominantly contain lower-value elements locked in mineral structures, making processing of these materials more challenging, geologists and analysts told Platts. "The big economic challenge the rest of the world faces is deposit geology," Peter Cook, a geologist and policy analyst at Breakthrough Institute, told Platts. "China got lucky with its abundant ionic-adsorption clay deposits, which are cheap to mine and process, and enriched in the more valuable heavy rare earths like terbium and dysprosium." Geological advantage Terbium and dysprosium are heavy rare earth elements used to improve the heat resistance of high-performance neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets in electric vehicles and advanced robotics. Although manufacture...
As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates worldwide, Hong Kong is sharpening its focus on applying AI technologies across various domains to make life easier, more efficient and more connected for citizens and businesses alike. Building on Hong Kong’s smart city strategy and its role within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Government and local industry are worki...
As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates worldwide, Hong Kong is sharpening its focus on applying AI technologies across various domains to make life easier, more efficient and more connected for citizens and businesses alike. Building on Hong Kong’s smart city strategy and its role within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Government and local industry are working together to turn pilot projects into practical AI-driven solutions that support long-term...
Company earnings expected to soar to between $200m and $700m in first quarter Business live – latest updates Shell is expected to report “significantly higher” profits from its commodity trading desks in the first quarter of this year after weeks of market volatility triggered by the Iran crisis. The surge in energy commodity markets over recent weeks is expected to drive up trading results at She...
Company earnings expected to soar to between $200m and $700m in first quarter Business live – latest updates Shell is expected to report “significantly higher” profits from its commodity trading desks in the first quarter of this year after weeks of market volatility triggered by the Iran crisis. The surge in energy commodity markets over recent weeks is expected to drive up trading results at Shell’s chemicals and products unit, which includes its main oil trading desk. Continue reading...
China has granted independent refiners additional crude import quotas to allow them to continue to produce fuels at officially mandated levels, helping Beijing to cope with the impact of disrupted supplies from the Persian Gulf. The concession — given before the US, Israel and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire — is aimed at keeping fuel production high and bolstering domestic energy security, ac...
China has granted independent refiners additional crude import quotas to allow them to continue to produce fuels at officially mandated levels, helping Beijing to cope with the impact of disrupted supplies from the Persian Gulf. The concession — given before the US, Israel and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire — is aimed at keeping fuel production high and bolstering domestic energy security, according to people familiar with the matter. It will not, however, support profit margins at plants badly squeezed by rising crude prices and US waivers that have widened access to sanctioned supply. Teapots were told last week to keep fuel output stable at 2025 levels, even if they have to incur losses. The measures underscore Beijing’s push to secure fuel supply, even at the cost of significant strain for the independent processors, a sector which makes up about a fifth of China’s total refining capability and has long struggled with overcapacity. To cope with deteriorating margins, teapots have been aggressive in buying cargoes from Iran, Russia and Venezuela, taking advantage of cheap prices that are not accessible to larger, state-owned players unwilling to get tangled in US restrictions. Granting extra quotas should help those supplies keep arriving, said Liao Na, founder of GL Consulting. “Beijing wants to fully utilize the private refineries’ importing potential to offer a buffer for Chinese oil supply during this crisis,” Liao said. The cost advantage, though, is fading. US waivers on Iranian and Russian oil sanctions have narrowed discounts that once underpinned margins, with some grades now trading at premiums to Brent. Domestic fuel prices have also come under pressure, with the government recently passing along a smaller-than-expected increase to shield consumers. As a condition of the extra quota, teapots have been told to maintain current run rates for at least a month even after the Strait of Hormuz reopens, according to people familiar with the request. Exac...