STAAR Surgical ( STAA ) stock price surged ~10% to $32.81 in just one day after a massive Q1 earnings beat, extending its monthly rally to around 20% as bulls cheered its strong China recovery and profit improvement. STAAR Surgical reported Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $0.48, beating estimates by $0.40, while revenue surged 119.5% YoY to $93.5M, topping analyst expectations by $14.78M. The company’s gross m...
STAAR Surgical ( STAA ) stock price surged ~10% to $32.81 in just one day after a massive Q1 earnings beat, extending its monthly rally to around 20% as bulls cheered its strong China recovery and profit improvement. STAAR Surgical reported Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $0.48, beating estimates by $0.40, while revenue surged 119.5% YoY to $93.5M, topping analyst expectations by $14.78M. The company’s gross margin also improved sharply to 73.6% from 65.8% a year ago, helped by better manufacturing efficiency and lower production costs. The company swung back to profit with net income of $5.2M compared to a loss of $(54.2)M last year, while adjusted EBITDA came in at $24.4M, showing strong margin recovery and operating leverage. China remained the biggest growth driver . The sales from the region reached $47.4M as demand for the newly launched EVO+ lenses stayed strong. The management said distributor inventory in China is now fully normalized, meaning growth is being driven by real customer demand instead of inventory restocking. The momentum was not only limited to China. Ex-China sales rose 6% YoY to $46.1M, while U.S. sales jumped 22%, even as the broader refractive surgery market declined 7%. The company also received FDA approval to expand EVO ICL use for patients aged 45-60, opening the door to nearly 8M additional potential patients. Although management did not provide full-year revenue guidance due to macro uncertainty, it expects a strong Q2 and continues targeting around 75% gross margin for FY26. The strong Q1 beat boosted analyst sentiment, with some raising STAAR Surgical 's 12-month price targets from $26 to $40, meaning from 'Neutral' to 'Outperform,' reported Wedbush Securities. The stock has gained 40.49% YTD, outperforming the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) return of 8.75%. However, Wall Street and Seeking Alpha analysts' ratings remain around 'Hold' levels, while Quant ratings currently stand at 3.70, viewing the stock as a 'Buy.' More on STAAR Surgical STAAR Surgical Com...
Earnings Call Insights: Versant Media Group (VSNT) Q1 2026 Management View “We’re off to a strong start to the year with continued progress and growth across key areas of the business, driven by disciplined execution and the strength of our portfolio,” said (CEO & Director Mark Lazarus), adding that the strategy is “anchored in live sports and news” while “accelerating the growth of our digital pl...
Earnings Call Insights: Versant Media Group (VSNT) Q1 2026 Management View “We’re off to a strong start to the year with continued progress and growth across key areas of the business, driven by disciplined execution and the strength of our portfolio,” said (CEO & Director Mark Lazarus), adding that the strategy is “anchored in live sports and news” while “accelerating the growth of our digital platforms.” (CEO & Director Lazarus) pointed to audience momentum across brands, including: CNBC delivering “its highest rated quarter in 4 years,” MS NOW having “its most watched quarter since 2024,” and Golf Channel reaching “13.5 million unique viewers during the week” of the Masters. (CEO & Director Lazarus) said Platforms delivered “high single-digit growth,” driven by “GolfNow and Fandango,” and announced M&A tied to platform expansion: “we acquired StockStory, an AI-driven platform” and cited prior acquisitions “INDY Cinema for Fandango, StockStory for CNBC and Free TV Networks.” (CEO & Director Lazarus) reiterated capital return and said the company announced “an accelerated share repurchase transaction as we enter the second quarter.” “Total revenue for the quarter was approximately $1.69 billion,” said (CFO & COO Anand Kini), and described “robust profitability healthy margins, significant free cash flow generation and continued momentum in Platforms revenue.” Outlook Full-year 2026 guidance reiterated as “$6.15 billion to $6.4 billion in revenue, adjusted EBITDA of $1.85 billion to $2.0 billion and free cash flow of $1.0 billion to $1.2 billion,” said (CFO & COO Kini). (CFO & COO Kini) flagged expected volatility: “We expect quarterly fluctuations driven by content licensing working capital and higher programming costs in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter.” Versant’s guidance language stayed aligned with the prior quarter’s framework, when (CFO & COO Kini) said, “We expect revenue between $6.15 billion and $6.4 billion,” “adjusted EBITDA between $...
The number of supertankers hauling unsanctioned oil through the Strait of Hormuz has shown signs of rising in recent days, offering limited relief to an oil market that’s suffered the largest supply disruption in history. Four ships each hauling 2 million barrels of mostly-Iraqi crude have exited since May 10 — a rate close to 2 million barrels a day — according to vessel tracking data compiled by...
The number of supertankers hauling unsanctioned oil through the Strait of Hormuz has shown signs of rising in recent days, offering limited relief to an oil market that’s suffered the largest supply disruption in history. Four ships each hauling 2 million barrels of mostly-Iraqi crude have exited since May 10 — a rate close to 2 million barrels a day — according to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Still, prior to the war, there were about 20 or so tankers of various sizes crossing the waterway daily. Oil traders are monitoring Hormuz flows closely because the blockage of the waterway has already cut about a billion barrels from global supply. While shipments from countries other than Iran have crept up, those from the Islamic Republic have slumped sharply since an American blockade. In recent weeks, some ships have crossed with their satellite signals off, meaning it’s possible the number increases down the line once those vessels re-emerge away from the Middle East. Hormuz has remained largely blocked since the war began in late February and has been subject to an international diplomatic arm wrestle ever since. Iran earlier this month laid out an updated process for ships wanting to cross Hormuz that involved dealing with a body called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority. At the same time, the US has maintained a blockade, from the edge of the Gulf of Oman, on Iranian ports. That has slowed maritime traffic in the region, though some vessels have been able to cross thanks to agreements between governments. Still, while a handful of tankers have been able to escape, it’s much less clear whether they’ll be willing to return given the risks to shipping. “There’s been an increase but the levels are so low that it won’t make much of a difference,” said Georgios Sakellariou, a freight analyst at Signal Maritime. “The major issue is that even if all the tankers inside leave, new ones won’t be entering anytime soon.” Of the four ships that departed with their sig...
sommart/iStock via Getty Images Three months after my previous coverage, Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. ( UVE ) stayed strong as the stock price kept increasing to its one-year high. This delivered 16% returns, which justified my P/E target price, or TP, in my previous coverage. And once again, this showed that I may have been too cautious about it. In fact, valuation shows that it still has s...
sommart/iStock via Getty Images Three months after my previous coverage, Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. ( UVE ) stayed strong as the stock price kept increasing to its one-year high. This delivered 16% returns, which justified my P/E target price, or TP, in my previous coverage. And once again, this showed that I may have been too cautious about it. In fact, valuation shows that it still has some upside potential. However, this makes it more difficult for me to find a truly safe entry point. Growth has started to wane, although we could attribute it to its conservative approach as well. Market aspects are affecting its performance. Technicals are still strong and bullish, but recent overbuying may strengthen selling pressures. UVE Q1 2026: Underwriting Strategies Created Balance In a high-inflation and hurricane-prone environment, property and casualty, or P&C, insurance companies may experience various challenges. But with their strategic pricing and risk diversification efforts, they can stabilize growth and boost profitability. This is what I have noticed about Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc., ever since I started covering it a year ago. Until now, its operational strength persists, although we are seeing the mounting impact of macroeconomic volatility. This was shown in its most recent performance. In Q1 2026, its operating revenue amounted to $393.6M , down by -0.3% YoY from $394.7M. This YoY change was a reversal from my previous coverage, which enjoyed a 3.6% YoY increase in revenue. This was also its weakest performance and the first time it had a negative revenue change in eight quarters. We can attribute it to the valuation or unrealized losses on its investments. This should not be surprising considering the sharp changes in the macroeconomic environment two to three months ago. Meanwhile, its actual insurance operations remained stable as net premiums earned increased by 0.3%. Of course, we cannot deny that growth has waned relative to my previous...
wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Investment thesis Energy Fuels ( UUUU ) just released its Q1, 2026 results , and the headline is a beat in revenues and a miss in earnings. The company is still losing money, albeit at a slower pace. There is a significant improvement in the company's performance, with growing output. External factors are trending in its favor, complementing its growth stock profi...
wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Investment thesis Energy Fuels ( UUUU ) just released its Q1, 2026 results , and the headline is a beat in revenues and a miss in earnings. The company is still losing money, albeit at a slower pace. There is a significant improvement in the company's performance, with growing output. External factors are trending in its favor, complementing its growth stock profile. I see this company reaching profitability and establishing itself as a major player in the uranium mining as well as the rare earth industries. With these considerations in mind, I decided to initiate a position in this stock once it went under $20/share. I intend to add to my position on any further pullbacks, on a positive long-term outlook. Moving from a sell to a cautious buy I last covered Energy Fuels stock in early Fall, last year, at which point I decided to take profits on my position, after a strong rally that resulted in gains of over 200%. Energy Fuels stock price & other metrics. (Seeking Alpha) Its share price has moved further up since then, but it also had some sizable dips, reflecting ongoing market uncertainty when it comes to this stock. A great deal of the uncertainty from back then is starting to dissipate. Energy Fuels managed to ramp up uranium output last year, and it is making headway on becoming a major US rare earth minerals producer. The external market conditions are favorable for both uranium & rare earths, making this a growth stock, which in my view is on the verge of becoming steadily profitable within favorable commodities market conditions. My average current cost basis is just slightly lower compared with my September 2025 sell decision, at just over $17/share. For full disclosure, I did make a second trade on the dip in the company's share price in late 2025, and then I sold the rally, so overall, my September 2025 decision proved to be correct. I am increasingly confident that I am making the right decision this time around, in purs...
Tony Anderson/DigitalVision via Getty Images By James Knightley , Chief International Economist, US Broader spending remains resilient despite higher energy costs Inflation data has been the main focus so far this week, but today it is retail sales. Consumer spending accounts for around 70% of all economic activity in the US, and retail sales are responsible for a little over 40% of consumer spend...
Tony Anderson/DigitalVision via Getty Images By James Knightley , Chief International Economist, US Broader spending remains resilient despite higher energy costs Inflation data has been the main focus so far this week, but today it is retail sales. Consumer spending accounts for around 70% of all economic activity in the US, and retail sales are responsible for a little over 40% of consumer spending. As such, this report is an important barometer of how the Middle East situation is impacting the real economy. Retail sales rose 0.5% month-on-month in April, which was broadly as expected, but the details show big swings in key components. It is important to remember that these are nominal dollar figures, with higher prices lifting gasoline station sales by 2.8% MoM. There were also decent monthly gains of 1.4% for both sporting goods and electronics. However, auto sales dropped 0.4%, furniture sales fell 2%, and clothing dropped 1.5% MoM. Non-store retailers continue to post decent gains of 1.1%. It is a mixed outcome, but so far there is little sign that higher fuel costs are forcing consumers to cut back spending on other things, despite consumer confidence supposedly being at all-time lows. Nonetheless, we expect that pressure to build. Retail sales as a proportion of total consumer spending (%) Source: Macrobond, ING But the pressures will build, even if a Middle East deal is struck Even if we get a deal that allows a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz soon, we suspect energy prices will remain elevated throughout 2026. On the demand side, inventory rebuilding in Europe and Asia will keep a strong bid in the market, while on the supply side we still don’t really know the scale of damage to infrastructure. Then we must consider the willingness of ship and tanker owners to send their vessels back to the region, given legitimate concerns about the resilience of any peace. In an environment of weak jobs and wage growth, high energy costs will continue to eat away at s...
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) is down just over 10% since its May 4 earnings report as of the May 13 close. The earnings report was exceptional on every level, but it wasn’t enough to convince the company’s skeptics to push the buy button. In fairness, there’s a lot of n
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) is down just over 10% since its May 4 earnings report as of the May 13 close. The earnings report was exceptional on every level, but it wasn’t enough to convince the company’s skeptics to push the buy button. In fairness, there’s a lot of n
The Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) has become the fastest-growing ETF ever, soaring past $6.5 billion in managed assets. This comes as memory chip stocks like Micron Technology (MU) surge by 180% year-to-date in 2026 and Sandisk (SNDK) skyrocketing over 3,200% over the past year alone. Roundhill Investments CEO Dave Mazza — whose firm manages the fund — comes on Market Catalyst to talk about the ETF'...
The Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) has become the fastest-growing ETF ever, soaring past $6.5 billion in managed assets. This comes as memory chip stocks like Micron Technology (MU) surge by 180% year-to-date in 2026 and Sandisk (SNDK) skyrocketing over 3,200% over the past year alone. Roundhill Investments CEO Dave Mazza — whose firm manages the fund — comes on Market Catalyst to talk about the ETF's growth and the supply and demand dynamics at play with AI data center projects.
pabradyphoto "Conditions are fundamentally sound in the banking sector," said Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Jeffrey Schmid. Capital and liquidity positions remain strong across the banking sector, complemented by healthy profitability levels and sound credit quality, according to the KC Fed president. Schmid was speaking on "Payments Innovation and Community Banking" before the "Futur...
pabradyphoto "Conditions are fundamentally sound in the banking sector," said Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Jeffrey Schmid. Capital and liquidity positions remain strong across the banking sector, complemented by healthy profitability levels and sound credit quality, according to the KC Fed president. Schmid was speaking on "Payments Innovation and Community Banking" before the "Future of Banking Conference" hosted by the KC Fed. On the economy and what that means for the banking sector, Schmid said, "Though the U.S. economy currently faces a number of challenges, it has also shown remarkable resilience. Geopolitical developments continue to create uncertainty. While the United States is less vulnerable to global energy disruptions than in the past, higher oil prices still drain household spending power and increase costs for businesses." "Yet despite these headwinds, economic fundamentals in the U.S. and in the Tenth District remain sound," he noted. "Net worth relative to income is near all-time highs, largely due to gains in equity markets and home values over recent years. These high levels of wealth are leading many households to increase their spending," said the KC Fed president. "Business investment has shown particular strength around technology infrastructure and the artificial intelligence buildout, reflecting confidence in the potential for long-term productivity improvements. And productivity gains have been strong, allowing the economy to expand even as workforce growth has slowed," he noted. However, Schmid said population trends, including declining fertility rates and the growing number of baby boomers aging into retirement, may limit how quickly the economy can grow. He sees continued inflation as the most pressing risk to the economy. Artificial intelligence capabilities are increasingly important for fraud detection, cybersecurity, customer service, and operational efficiency, Schmid said. "Digital assets and blockchain technology co...
Sharplink , a digital asset treasury company focused on ether , is winning favor with Wall Street analysts as it evolves how it generates returns for shareholders. The company is partnering with the crypto investment manager Galaxy Digital to help it boost yields on the ether it holds, Sharplink announced during its first-quarter financial update . A new joint fund will allocate $125 million acros...
Sharplink , a digital asset treasury company focused on ether , is winning favor with Wall Street analysts as it evolves how it generates returns for shareholders. The company is partnering with the crypto investment manager Galaxy Digital to help it boost yields on the ether it holds, Sharplink announced during its first-quarter financial update . A new joint fund will allocate $125 million across decentralized finance liquidity protocols and other onchain income-generating strategies. The move gives Sharplink yield opportunities beyond staking revenue – which is income investors earn by locking up ether to help secure the Ethereum network and receiving rewards in return. The company can also expand beyond its ether stockpiler role by giving investors more of an active management flavor. That echoes a theme that the original crypto accumulator, Michael Saylor's Strategy , hit on in its earnings update last week: it's time to break from Saylor's "never sell" bitcoin mantra in favor of maximizing shareholder returns through more active management. On Wednesday, Citi analyst Peter Christiansen said there's "a lot to like" about Strategy, beginning with "increasing active management." At its core, the trend is about decoupling investor returns from down or quiet markets like crypto had in the first quarter. Ether has lost 23% this year, alongside bitcoin's 8% drop over the same period. Each of the eight analysts covering Sharplink has a buy rating on the stock, and the average price target predicts shares could rise 156%, according to LSEG. A disciplined approach The Galaxy partnership is "the template for future external allocations and a credibility marker" that could make investors value the company more highly if they see proof Sharplink is earning those extra returns, B.Riley analyst Fedor Shabalin said in a note Monday. "The strategy reads as disciplined progression along the efficient frontier rather than yield-chasing," he added. TD Cowen analyst Lance Vitanza ...
Intel announces McLaren F1 partnership, will battle AMD-powered Mercedes — deal includes chips for aerodynamic analysis, vehicle-dynamics simulation, race strategy analytics, and more Tom's Hardware
Intel announces McLaren F1 partnership, will battle AMD-powered Mercedes — deal includes chips for aerodynamic analysis, vehicle-dynamics simulation, race strategy analytics, and more Tom's Hardware
Davian Chang/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Malaysia is weighing compensation claims and possible legal action after Norway revoked export approvals for a naval strike missile system already paid for and nearing delivery, Reuters reported. Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said Kuala Lumpur had settled roughly 95% of the contract value before Oslo pulled the licenses in March, just days ah...
Davian Chang/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Malaysia is weighing compensation claims and possible legal action after Norway revoked export approvals for a naval strike missile system already paid for and nearing delivery, Reuters reported. Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said Kuala Lumpur had settled roughly 95% of the contract value before Oslo pulled the licenses in March, just days ahead of shipment. The missiles, produced by Norway’s Kongsberg, were part of a €124 million ($145 million in today's dollars) agreement signed in 2018 to equip Malaysian naval vessels, with a follow-on deal covering additional ships. Khaled said the government is calculating losses and intends to seek both a refund and damages tied to what it views as a contract breach. Norway defended the move, saying tighter export controls reflect a shifting global security environment. Officials acknowledged the decision affects Malaysia but said highly sensitive defence technologies will increasingly be restricted to close allies and partners, while expressing hope for continued dialogue. Kongsberg noted that export licensing decisions are made by Norwegian authorities, not the company, and said it has followed all applicable rules. Malaysia’s leadership reacted sharply. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described the cancellation as a one-sided decision and warned it could undermine trust in European defense suppliers. He argued that breaking signed agreements weakens their credibility as long-term strategic partners and could have broader implications for regional security. The dispute adds pressure to Malaysia’s already delayed naval modernization program. The long-running littoral combat ship project, first launched in 2011 and restarted in 2023 after governance issues, has faced repeated setbacks. The first vessel is now expected in December, months behind schedule. Khaled said the ships will proceed without the missile system for now, while the government explores alternative suppliers...
President Trump’s delegation to Beijing this week included 17 American chief executives. Fifteen flew commercial or on corporate jets. Two boarded Air Force One: Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang. Huang was a late addition, joining the plane during a refueling stop in Alaska after nearly a year of lobbying ... Trump Brought 17 CEOs to China. Only Two Got S...
President Trump’s delegation to Beijing this week included 17 American chief executives. Fifteen flew commercial or on corporate jets. Two boarded Air Force One: Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang. Huang was a late addition, joining the plane during a refueling stop in Alaska after nearly a year of lobbying ... Trump Brought 17 CEOs to China. Only Two Got Seats on Air Force One: Elon Musk and Jensen Huang