The first-ever jury trial over the potential harms of social media wrapped up on Thursday. Lawyers for Meta and YouTube have argued their platforms are safe for the vast majority of young people, while lawyers for a young woman at the center of the case say the tech companies have designed their products to be addictive, leading to mental health issues in children and teens. The six-week trial has...
The first-ever jury trial over the potential harms of social media wrapped up on Thursday. Lawyers for Meta and YouTube have argued their platforms are safe for the vast majority of young people, while lawyers for a young woman at the center of the case say the tech companies have designed their products to be addictive, leading to mental health issues in children and teens. The six-week trial has seen a parade of high-profile witnesses, including Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and YouTube’s vice-president of engineering Cristos Goodrow. Jurors have also heard testimony from the lead plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman who goes by the initials KGM, her therapist and expert witnesses on social media and addiction. If jurors rule in favor of KGM, the social media companies could face harsh financial penalties, which plaintiffs’ lawyers hope will lead them to change fundamental aspects of how their platforms function. In this case, the burden of proof is on the plaintiffs. The jury would need to find negligence and causation by YouTube and Meta before it could impose damages, so the outcome of the trial could take several different forms. Deliberations are set to begin on Friday. KGM said she got hooked on YouTube starting at six and Instagram at nine. By the time she was 10, she said, she had become depressed and was engaging in self-harm as a result. The cycle of social media use caused her to have strained relationships with her family and in school, she testified. She said she had suicidal thoughts and began cutting herself as a “coping mechanism to deal with my depression”. When she was 13, KGM’s therapist diagnosed her with body dysmorphic disorder and social phobia, which KGM attributes to her use of Instagram and YouTube. KGM’s lawyers say her experience is emblematic of what tens of thousands of young people have faced on social media and in their offline lives. Meta and YouTube deny wrongdoing. A YouTube spokesperson, José Castañ...
Traders prepare as sales of MDA Space Ltd begin at the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on March 12, 2026 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images Stock futures were little changed on Thursday night as investors await key U.S. inflation data. The report comes as surging oil prices in the wake of the Iran war continues to weigh on stocks. Futures tied t...
Traders prepare as sales of MDA Space Ltd begin at the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on March 12, 2026 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images Stock futures were little changed on Thursday night as investors await key U.S. inflation data. The report comes as surging oil prices in the wake of the Iran war continues to weigh on stocks. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 16 points, or 0.03%. S&P 500 futures advanced 0.04%, while Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.05%. In Thursday's regular session, the three major averages notched closing lows for 2026. The 30-stock Dow fell nearly 740 points to post its first close below the 47,000 threshold this year, while the S&P 500 lost 1.5%. Stocks came under pressure and oil spiked after Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said that the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route, should remain shut as a " tool to pressure the enemy ." West Texas Intermediate futures climbed 9.72% to settle at $95.73 per barrel. Brent crude futures gained 9.22% to end the session at $100.46 a barrel, marking its first close above $100 since August 2022. Higher oil prices, along with several other key hurdles in the market, are causing investors pain, according to Chris Toomey, managing director at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management. "You've got the [artificial intelligence] buildout, you've got private credit … and this energy situation," he said on CNBC's "Closing Bell." "I think the energy situation is the thing that we're most concerned about." Toomey added that if Strait of Hormuz sees sustained impairment beyond two or three months, that "becomes a real problem." Higher oil prices and growing inflation fears have also dampened investors' expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year. Traders are now awaiting the release of January's personal consumption expenditures price index — the Fed's preferred inflation gauge — due Friday morning. The Dow Jones consen...
Image source: The Motley Fool. March 12, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Interim Executive Chair — Dr. Jamie Bechtel Chief Financial Officer — Thomas C. Chesterman Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Revenue -- $2.2 million in fiscal 2025 (period ended Dec. 31, 2025), up 20%, with growth adjusted to 30% excluding a $200,000 impact from the transition to d...
Image source: The Motley Fool. March 12, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Interim Executive Chair — Dr. Jamie Bechtel Chief Financial Officer — Thomas C. Chesterman Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Revenue -- $2.2 million in fiscal 2025 (period ended Dec. 31, 2025), up 20%, with growth adjusted to 30% excluding a $200,000 impact from the transition to direct Amazon sales. -- $2.2 million in fiscal 2025 (period ended Dec. 31, 2025), up 20%, with growth adjusted to 30% excluding a $200,000 impact from the transition to direct Amazon sales. E-commerce revenue -- Rose 88% in fiscal 2025, with e-commerce now representing over half of total company revenue. -- Rose 88% in fiscal 2025, with e-commerce now representing over half of total company revenue. Gross margin -- Improved to 62.5% in fiscal 2025 from 54.1% in fiscal 2024, attributed to favorable product mix and e-commerce contributions. -- Improved to 62.5% in fiscal 2025 from 54.1% in fiscal 2024, attributed to favorable product mix and e-commerce contributions. Net loss -- Reported at $6.4 million, widening slightly from $6.2 million; includes $131,000 in one-time legal expenses and $135,000 in non-cash operating lease expense. -- Reported at $6.4 million, widening slightly from $6.2 million; includes $131,000 in one-time legal expenses and $135,000 in non-cash operating lease expense. Adjusted net loss -- $5.6 million, excluding one-time legal and non-cash lease expenses. -- $5.6 million, excluding one-time legal and non-cash lease expenses. Adjusted EBITDA loss -- $5.3 million, improving from $5.8 million. -- $5.3 million, improving from $5.8 million. Liquidity -- Ended with $8.6 million in cash and short-term investments. -- Ended with $8.6 million in cash and short-term investments. Legal resolution -- The Leafotech litigation was resolved and all litigation dismissed; the CFO stated, "The results were immaterial to us both financially and operationally." -- The Leaf...
It never rains but it pours. Nottingham Forest, forced to cut their ticket prices twice this week to entice a near-capacity crowd back to the City Ground, can’t buy a win at the moment. Twice, now, they have lost to FC Midtjylland in this competition this season after Cho Gue-sung, the substitute, further dampened their spirts on a night when a second-half downpour was so severe the ball started g...
It never rains but it pours. Nottingham Forest, forced to cut their ticket prices twice this week to entice a near-capacity crowd back to the City Ground, can’t buy a win at the moment. Twice, now, they have lost to FC Midtjylland in this competition this season after Cho Gue-sung, the substitute, further dampened their spirts on a night when a second-half downpour was so severe the ball started getting stuck in puddles. What a muddle Forest find themselves in. A single point above the relegation zone, their fourth manager of the season, Vítor Pereira, without a win in his last five games, their global head of football, Edu, on his way out, they now have to overcome this one-goal deficit in next week’s second leg to earn a Europa League quarter-final with Porto or Stuttgart. Yet their home game with Fulham on Sunday will take such elevated significance now as they seek to retain their Premier League status. Ten minutes from time, Forest’s night was dealt the ultimate dampener. Ousmane Diao was given too much time to cross, from the inside-right channel, and then Aina remained on his heels as Cho sprang in front of him to head down and beyond Sels into the bottom corner. The 300-odd Midtjylland fans may have been making a racket in their corner of the Bridgford Stand, jumping up and down in unison to the constant beat of a drum, but the action on the field was very quiet for the opening half hour. The Danish title chasers know what it takes to win at the City Ground, after their 3-2 triumph here in October helped lead Ange Postecoglou towards his swift exit, and Forest were cagey in the opening exchanges. Vitor Pereira asked Callum Hudson-Odoi to attack from left wing-back, with Ola Aina on the other flank, as Forest matched up the visitors’ shape. It was from Forest’s left that Philip Billing, formerly of Bournemouth, crossed from near the byline in the third minute and Júnior Brumado, somehow left unmarked, headed past Matz Sels. Murillo cleared off the line, to th...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Eric Remer Chief Financial Officer — Ryan Siurek President and Chief Executive Officer, EverPro — Matthew Feierstein Chief Executive Officer, EverHealth — Evan Berlin SVP, Finance and Head of Investor Relations — Brad Korch Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [em...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Eric Remer Chief Financial Officer — Ryan Siurek President and Chief Executive Officer, EverPro — Matthew Feierstein Chief Executive Officer, EverHealth — Evan Berlin SVP, Finance and Head of Investor Relations — Brad Korch Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Revenue -- $151.2 million in the quarter, up 5.2% year over year and above the previously stated guidance midpoint. -- $151.2 million in the quarter, up 5.2% year over year and above the previously stated guidance midpoint. Adjusted EBITDA -- $44.2 million, yielding a 29.2% margin; this matches the previous year's figure but is at the upper end of guidance. -- $44.2 million, yielding a 29.2% margin; this matches the previous year's figure but is at the upper end of guidance. Subscription and Transaction Revenue -- $144.1 million, constituting the core recurring revenue stream. -- $144.1 million, constituting the core recurring revenue stream. Adjusted Gross Profit -- $117 million representing a 77.5% adjusted gross margin for the quarter. -- $117 million representing a 77.5% adjusted gross margin for the quarter. Pro Forma Revenue (LTM) -- $591.7 million, reflecting 6.4% year-over-year growth after adjusting for the ZyraTalk acquisition. -- $591.7 million, reflecting 6.4% year-over-year growth after adjusting for the ZyraTalk acquisition. Adjusted EBITDA Margin (LTM) -- 30.7%, evidencing margin expansion of about 470 basis points from 2023. -- 30.7%, evidencing margin expansion of about 470 basis points from 2023. Cash Flow from Operations -- $111.5 million for the year, compared to $113.2 million in the prior period. -- $111.5 million for the year, compared to $113.2 million in the prior period. Levered Free Cash Flow -- $79.6 million for the year, reflecting a reduction of $14.7 million due to $12.2 million increased capitalized software investmen...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Todd A. DeBonis Chief Financial Officer — Haley F. Aman Investor Relations, Shelton Group — Brett Perry Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Cash proceeds from subsidiary sale -- $51 million received in January from the divestiture of t...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Todd A. DeBonis Chief Financial Officer — Haley F. Aman Investor Relations, Shelton Group — Brett Perry Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Cash proceeds from subsidiary sale -- $51 million received in January from the divestiture of the Shanghai semiconductor business, fully repatriated to the U.S. -- $51 million received in January from the divestiture of the Shanghai semiconductor business, fully repatriated to the U.S. Year-end cash and cash equivalents -- Approximately $11.2 million on hand at December 31, 2025, prior to subsidiary sale proceeds. -- Approximately $11.2 million on hand at December 31, 2025, prior to subsidiary sale proceeds. Starting cash balance for 2026 -- Approximately $62 million, including subsidiary sale and operating cash at year-end. -- Approximately $62 million, including subsidiary sale and operating cash at year-end. Projected cash position -- Approximately $58 million in anticipated cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2026, factoring in transaction costs, severance, and expected escrow release. -- Approximately $58 million in anticipated cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2026, factoring in transaction costs, severance, and expected escrow release. Expected additional cash release -- $1.2 million in escrow related to a tax dispute, with management expecting release in upcoming weeks. -- $1.2 million in escrow related to a tax dispute, with management expecting release in upcoming weeks. Revenue from continuing operations -- $690,000 reported for fiscal 2025, with all revenue generated from activities now classified as discontinued operations. -- $690,000 reported for fiscal 2025, with all revenue generated from activities now classified as discontinued operations. Asset-light business transition -- Pixelworks PXLW 0.08% ) -- Reduction in operating expenses --...
ncognet0/E+ via Getty Images I've been increasing my coverage of fertilizer-oriented companies. The reason for it is quite simple - I'm generally bullish on the need for fertilizers and how these impact farmers and their profit. Ergo, it makes sense to invest in cheap and attractive, well-managed companies with an upside. Such fertilizer companies come in all shapes and sizes. One of my favorite o...
ncognet0/E+ via Getty Images I've been increasing my coverage of fertilizer-oriented companies. The reason for it is quite simple - I'm generally bullish on the need for fertilizers and how these impact farmers and their profit. Ergo, it makes sense to invest in cheap and attractive, well-managed companies with an upside. Such fertilizer companies come in all shapes and sizes. One of my favorite ones is Yara ( YARIY ), which focuses on nitrogen and nitrate fertilizers, ammonia, and industrial solutions. But I also look at companies that focus on Potash. In this article, I'll give you a basic overview of what in "the business" is known as the Big Three. I'll let you know what companies I like and cover (aside from Yara, obviously), and I'll be looking at the very least two new companies in this sector. The first one is Intrepid Potash, Inc. ( IPI ). It's a company I've had on my radar for some time - since doing research on the Ukrainian war's impact on fertilizer (given Russia/Belarus' role in the potash supply) and since covering FMC Corporation ( FMC ), one of my later coverages, which I went in at a neutral/not bullish rating. This will be my first article on Intrepid Potash - the name says it all with regard to what the company does. I think this company is crucial for what it does, in the area where it does it, and in this article, I'll be sure to show you the reason for it. While the USA can obviously, like any nation, import potash, importing fertilizer is always tricky. Why is that tricky? It's the classic dilemma - risk or reward. When you look at the scenario on paper, importing something like Potash (which can be made relatively simply with wood ash, water, and some time) might seem like a great idea. The problem is the quantities you need it in. Industrial production of potash is usually related to something entirely different than nitrogen fertilizer. While the latter is correlated to natgas prices, the former can't exist without specific geological req...
If you want to get more AI exposure in your portfolio, there's a wide range of options available. You have the hardware makers, starting with market leader Nvidia. AI infrastructure companies, including Emcor Group, provide the data centers and components needed to train large language models (LLMs). There are also AI software companies and businesses at every layer of the AI stack. Or, you could ...
If you want to get more AI exposure in your portfolio, there's a wide range of options available. You have the hardware makers, starting with market leader Nvidia. AI infrastructure companies, including Emcor Group, provide the data centers and components needed to train large language models (LLMs). There are also AI software companies and businesses at every layer of the AI stack. Or, you could invest in a company that does it all with Alphabet (GOOG 1.68%)(GOOGL 1.66%), the parent company of Google. While I'm bullish on several AI companies, Alphabet is the one I'd choose if I were putting $5,000 into one stock. A full-stack AI approach Alphabet is a rarity in the tech world, as it controls its entire AI stack. It has its own AI data centers and is in the expansion process, with projected capital expenditures of $175 billion to $185 billion in 2026. The company develops Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), custom AI accelerator chips that Google has been using since 2015. It has its own AI model, Gemini, and easy distribution of AI tools through Google's existing businesses. This full-stack approach arguably puts Alphabet in the best position among AI companies. It can better control costs, avoid dependence on other companies, and optimize its TPUs for the Gemini model. This approach has allowed Alphabet to improve efficiency while scaling up. Case in point, it lowered Gemini serving costs by 78% in 2025. Impressive growth Alphabet is also coming off a very successful 2025. Revenue was up 15% year-over-year to $402.8 billion, which is a good increase for a company that's already a tech giant. Google Cloud outperformed, with revenue from that segment jumping 34% to $58.7 billion. Google Cloud also has a $240 billion revenue backlog, indicating that there's strong demand for Google's enterprise AI infrastructure. On the consumer side, Gemini 3 is a significant step forward that puts Google's AI assistant on par with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude. Alphabet CEO ...
Key Points Alphabet controls every part of its AI stack, from hardware to software, which has helped it scale more efficiently. The tech giant has seen excellent growth in top-line revenue, Google Cloud, and the number of Gemini users. 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet › If you want to get more AI exposure in your portfolio, there's a wide range of options available. You have the hardware mak...
Key Points Alphabet controls every part of its AI stack, from hardware to software, which has helped it scale more efficiently. The tech giant has seen excellent growth in top-line revenue, Google Cloud, and the number of Gemini users. 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet › If you want to get more AI exposure in your portfolio, there's a wide range of options available. You have the hardware makers, starting with market leader Nvidia. AI infrastructure companies, including Emcor Group, provide the data centers and components needed to train large language models (LLMs). There are also AI software companies and businesses at every layer of the AI stack. Or, you could invest in a company that does it all with Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL), the parent company of Google. While I'm bullish on several AI companies, Alphabet is the one I'd choose if I were putting $5,000 into one stock. 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 » A full-stack AI approach Alphabet is a rarity in the tech world, as it controls its entire AI stack. It has its own AI data centers and is in the expansion process, with projected capital expenditures of $175 billion to $185 billion in 2026. The company develops Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), custom AI accelerator chips that Google has been using since 2015. It has its own AI model, Gemini, and easy distribution of AI tools through Google's existing businesses. This full-stack approach arguably puts Alphabet in the best position among AI companies. It can better control costs, avoid dependence on other companies, and optimize its TPUs for the Gemini model. This approach has allowed Alphabet to improve efficiency while scaling up. Case in point, it lowered Gemini serving costs by 78% in 2025. Impressive growth Alphabet is also coming off a very successful 2025. Re...
Iran’s new supreme leader on Thursday rejected US threats of a widening war and its calls for his nation’s “unconditional surrender.” Instead, Mojtaba Khamenei doubled down on the Islamic Republic’s retaliation campaign against American allies around the Gulf and pledged to keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut. In his first public comments since succeeding his father , who was killed in a ta...
Iran’s new supreme leader on Thursday rejected US threats of a widening war and its calls for his nation’s “unconditional surrender.” Instead, Mojtaba Khamenei doubled down on the Islamic Republic’s retaliation campaign against American allies around the Gulf and pledged to keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut. In his first public comments since succeeding his father , who was killed in a targeted strike by the US and Israel at the outset of the war, Khamenei warned that Tehran will look to open other fronts if the US and Israel persist in their bombing campaign. Almost 2,000 people in Iran and Lebanon have been killed since the war began, while dozens across the Persian Gulf also have died. International and US efforts to mollify oil markets continued to fail in the face of the long-feared worst-case scenario. Oil prices rose more than 9% with Brent crude ending the session above $100 for the first time since August 2022. US crude futures also settled at the highest levels in more than three years. Three commercial vessels were struck in the Arabian Gulf over the past 24 hours, and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted millions of barrels a day of supply, causing what the International Energy Agency described as the biggest hit to global production on record. Iran has likely begun laying mines in the Strait, UK Defense Secretary John Healey said, though Iran’s deputy foreign minister reportedly denied it. “Studies have been conducted into opening other fronts where the enemy has little experience and would be highly vulnerable,” Khamenei, a 56-year-old hardline cleric, said in a statement published by Iran state media. “Their activation will take place if the state of war persists.” What You Need to Know Today Deutsche Bank flagged a $30 billion exposure to private credit, an asset class increasingly battered by fund redemptions, scrutiny of underwriting standards and the threat of artificial intelligence on its borrowers. The lender said it is n...
Oil extended gains from its highest close since August 2022 in one of the most volatile trading weeks ever, with investors bracing for more upheaval as Iran pledged to keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut. West Texas Intermediate climbed as much as 2.2% to $97.85 a barrel, with prices on track for another weekly advance. Brent closed above $100 on Thursday. In his first public comments since...
Oil extended gains from its highest close since August 2022 in one of the most volatile trading weeks ever, with investors bracing for more upheaval as Iran pledged to keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut. West Texas Intermediate climbed as much as 2.2% to $97.85 a barrel, with prices on track for another weekly advance. Brent closed above $100 on Thursday. In his first public comments since succeeding his father, Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said the Islamic Republic would seek to ensure the critical waterway for oil and natural gas stays closed. The International Energy Agency warned on Thursday that the current supply disruption is the largest in the history of the global oil market. The statement from Khamenei came as US President Donald Trump said preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons and being a threat to the Middle East is “of far greater interest and importance to me” than the cost of oil. The near-halt to shipping through the strait near Iran and the Arabian Peninsula has choked off shipments of crude , natural gas and products such as diesel to global customers, driving up energy prices. It’s raised fears of an inflation crisis and is starting to hit some economies. WTI has traded in a band of about $43 this week, the widest range since the depths of the pandemic when prices turned negative. Brent has swung in a range of around $38. Wild swings have being exacerbated by financial flows from options markets to exchange-traded funds. To get Bloomberg’s Energy Daily newsletter in your inbox, click here . WTI for April delivery rose 1.5% to $ 97.16 a barrel at 6:05 a.m. in Singapore. Brent for May settlement closed 9.2% higher at $100.46 a barrel on Thursday.