Alyssa Ramos’ evacuation from Kuwait took 48 hours and carried her across four continents. The US government did not help with any part of it, the travel blogger said. “They keep going on the news and saying they’re doing everything they can to get Americans out,” Ramos said after landing in Miami on Thursday. “I know for a fact they’re not.” She said she repeatedly messaged the US embassy in Kuwa...
Alyssa Ramos’ evacuation from Kuwait took 48 hours and carried her across four continents. The US government did not help with any part of it, the travel blogger said. “They keep going on the news and saying they’re doing everything they can to get Americans out,” Ramos said after landing in Miami on Thursday. “I know for a fact they’re not.” She said she repeatedly messaged the US embassy in Kuwait before being directed to the consular section, which told her it could not help her leave the country and advised her to enrol in the US smart traveller programme and shelter in place. Advertisement Ramos is among the many travellers who found themselves stranded in the Middle East and beyond after Israeli-US attacks on Iran almost a week ago rapidly entangled more than a dozen nearby countries. Since then, US citizens have described frustrations and growing fear as they encountered closed airports, cancelled flights and confusing US government guidance while Poland, Australia, France and other countries moved quickly to send military or chartered planes for their citizens. As of Friday, about 27,000 Americans have returned to the US since the war began on February 28, the State Department said. The vast majority of them made their own way out without US government help. Advertisement Chicago resident Susan Daley, who became stranded while on a work trip in the United Arab Emirates, arrived in the US on Thursday aboard the first commercial flight from Dubai to San Francisco since the conflict started.
Bet_Noire/iStock via Getty Images By Krzysztof Kamiński The key event of this week is undoubtedly Israel’s attack on Iran, carried out in cooperation with the United States, which began on the last Saturday of February. The objective of Operation “Epic Fury” is reportedly to destroy Iran’s nuclear program and dismantle the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, one of the two branches of Iran’s armed ...
Bet_Noire/iStock via Getty Images By Krzysztof Kamiński The key event of this week is undoubtedly Israel’s attack on Iran, carried out in cooperation with the United States, which began on the last Saturday of February. The objective of Operation “Epic Fury” is reportedly to destroy Iran’s nuclear program and dismantle the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, one of the two branches of Iran’s armed forces. Weakening this formation is of particular importance from Israel’s perspective, as a close US ally in the region, because the Corps - consistent with the principles of Iranian foreign policy - supports armed groups and terrorist organizations beyond the country’s borders, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Hezbollah. One of their principal goals remains the destruction of the Jewish state and the carrying out of terrorist activities targeting its citizens. The Strait of Hormuz becomes a critical supply chokepoint The conflict quickly spilled over into commodity markets. In just one week, Brent crude prices rose by more than 28%, while WTI gained 37%. Weekly timeframe of Crude Oil WTI and Brent, source: TradingView Although geopolitical tensions have often supported rallies in the price of “black gold” in the past, the current scale of the move is primarily the result of the actual paralysis of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, located off Iran’s southern coast. Under normal conditions, this strategic chokepoint handles around 20–25% of global oil trade and nearly 20% of global LNG flows, making it vital to the energy balance of many regions. In recent days, the strait has effectively become a war zone. The Strait Of Hormuz, source: Bloomberg.com Drone attacks and shelling have brought commercial shipping almost to a standstill, even without a formal closure of the route. The situation has been further aggravated by insurers’ decision to suspend coverage for voyages through the Persian Gulf, which in practice has left hundreds of tankers stranded in port...
Minnesota State Employee Who Vandalized Teslas Last Year 'Punished' With 1-Day Suspension Authored by Debra Heine via American Greatness, A Minnesota state employee who vandalized six Tesla vehicles last year, causing up to $21,000 in damage, received no jailtime and just a single-day suspension from his job , state records show. Dylan Adams, an employee with the Minnesota Department of Human Serv...
Minnesota State Employee Who Vandalized Teslas Last Year 'Punished' With 1-Day Suspension Authored by Debra Heine via American Greatness, A Minnesota state employee who vandalized six Tesla vehicles last year, causing up to $21,000 in damage, received no jailtime and just a single-day suspension from his job , state records show. Dylan Adams, an employee with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), was caught on Tesla security cameras keying the vehicles in March and early April 2025, amid a rash of anti-Tesla vandalism and firebomb attacks throughout the nation. The anti-Tesla attacks coincided with nationwide “Tesla Takedown” demonstrations organized by ActBlue-funded groups to agitate against Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). As the Fiscal Policy Analyst and Compliance Lead on DHS’s Program Integrity Team, Adams is reportedly responsible for preventing waste, fraud and abuse in public benefit programs in a state that has recently seen an estimated $300 million in child nutrition funds and $9 billion in Medicaid funds lost to waste, fraud, and abuse. According to a report on the Minnesota DHS investigation, Adams indicated that he was “concerned” about Musk making a “Nazi salute” during a 2024 campaign event , a malicious smear propagated by Democrats and their allies in the media. He also admitted that he vandalized the Teslas “in hopes the owners would disassociate themselves from Elon Musk and Tesla.” Adams told investigators he was “on a break” or “out sick” during the times he was out keying Tesla vehicles, however Adams’ state time card, obtained by Alpha News, shows he logged a full eight-hour workday during the time period he was committing some of the crimes. Regardless, he was “punished” with just an unpaid, one-day suspension on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. “You are reminded that you are expected to comply with all Enterprise and Agency policies and fulfill your re...
Nintendo Co. filed a lawsuit in the US Court of International Trade on Friday, seeking a refund for duties it paid to the US government as a result of President Donald Trump ’s Tariffs. Nintendo said the tariffs paid were “unlawfully collected” and asked that there is a “prompt refund” to the company, according to the filing dated March 6. Thousands of US companies are already seeking refunds for ...
Nintendo Co. filed a lawsuit in the US Court of International Trade on Friday, seeking a refund for duties it paid to the US government as a result of President Donald Trump ’s Tariffs. Nintendo said the tariffs paid were “unlawfully collected” and asked that there is a “prompt refund” to the company, according to the filing dated March 6. Thousands of US companies are already seeking refunds for about $170 billion paid under the earlier tariffs that were overturned, which Trump issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. On Feb. 20, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the president issued those tariffs illegally.
Key Points Disciplined Growth Investors sold 181,788 shares of InterDigital; estimated transaction value of $64.27 million based on quarterly average pricing Quarter-end position value declined by $79.11 million, reflecting both trading and stock price movement Transaction represented a 1.23% change in 13F reportable AUM Fund now holds 609,153 shares valued at $193.94 million InterDigital comprise...
Key Points Disciplined Growth Investors sold 181,788 shares of InterDigital; estimated transaction value of $64.27 million based on quarterly average pricing Quarter-end position value declined by $79.11 million, reflecting both trading and stock price movement Transaction represented a 1.23% change in 13F reportable AUM Fund now holds 609,153 shares valued at $193.94 million InterDigital comprises 3.71% of fund AUM, which places it outside the fund's top five holdings 10 stocks we like better than InterDigital › What happened According to a February 17, 2026 SEC filing, Disciplined Growth Investors reduced its stake in InterDigital (NASDAQ:IDCC) by 181,788 shares. The fund’s position at quarter-end totaled 609,153 shares, valued at $193.94 million. What else to know This Sell reduced InterDigital’s weight to 3.71% of 13F AUM, down from 4.947% in the prior quarter Top holdings after the filing: NASDAQ:SMCI: $282.09 million (5.4% of AUM) NASDAQ:EXE: $281.40 million (5.4% of AUM) As of February 17, 2026, shares of InterDigital were priced at $366.42, up 70.3% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 by 60.81 percentage points Company/Etf overview Metric Value Market capitalization $9.19 billion Revenue (TTM) $834.01 million Net income (TTM) $406.64 million Price (as of market close 2/17/26) $366.42 Company/Etf snapshot InterDigital, Inc. is a leading innovator in wireless and video technology.The company develops and licenses advanced wireless technologies, including patented solutions for 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, video coding, and IoT devices. The company’s strategy centers on research and development, enabling it to monetize intellectual property through licensing agreements with major industry players. Its focus on next-generation wireless standards and diversified applications positions InterDigital as a key enabler of connectivity and digital transformation worldwide. InterDigital, Inc. holds a portfolio of approximately 27,500 patents and patent applications related...
Andrei Antipov/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Luxury fashion brand and company Prada ( PRDSY ) ( PRDSF ) released its full-year 2025 results yesterday, which pleased investors slightly. A 1.5% price uptick was witnessed, breaking its three-session drop. Since I covered the stock in late February, I normally wouldn't follow up this soon for a relatively predictable company like Prada. But now is...
Andrei Antipov/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Luxury fashion brand and company Prada ( PRDSY ) ( PRDSF ) released its full-year 2025 results yesterday, which pleased investors slightly. A 1.5% price uptick was witnessed, breaking its three-session drop. Since I covered the stock in late February, I normally wouldn't follow up this soon for a relatively predictable company like Prada. But now isn't a time like the usual. As it happens, it completed its acquisition of the Versace brand from Capri Holdings ( CPRI ) in December last year, which can alter the financials. Here, I look at the key takeaways from the numbers from this perspective, the emerging concerns, and the stock's prospects. Healthy revenue growth and margins First, a look at the latest numbers. The company's full-year 2025 revenues grew by 9%, nearly halving from the 17% increase seen in 2024. But in light of the ongoing slowdown in the luxury market, it's still a healthy number. For context, LVMH ( LVMUY ), the biggest luxury fashion company by revenues, saw a 5.1% contraction in sales in 2025. Even though Versace added a small bump up to revenues, Prada's ex-Versace figure did come in some 3% lower than my estimates due to a slowing down in Q4 2025 revenue growth to just 2.8% YoY. Slide 1 (Source: Prada) It could, however, at least in part be explained by a contraction in wholesale revenues in organic terms (see Slide 2 below), which is defined as sales ex-Versace. This is explained by a tactical pullback, but it's worth noting that organic retail sales growth also slowed down to 6%. More of this is discussed later in the concerns related to Prada. Slide 2 (Source: Prada) While the company's EBIT came in bang at my projection of EUR 1.3 billion, the reported margin was higher at 22.7% compared to my expectation of 22.2% on account of revenues turning out smaller than expected. The adjusted EBIT margin, which is a figure that has been introduced to the company's financials only in 2025, was even bi...
spawns/iStock via Getty Images By Elior Manier Oil took center stage once again in this week's volatile action. Rising 37% since last Friday, crude is now at concerning levels, even outperforming the January 2022 Ukraine war weekly performance, reaching $92.68 this week - a reminder that the commodity was trading near $55 just about two months ago. The third ingredient in a daily toxic fundamental...
spawns/iStock via Getty Images By Elior Manier Oil took center stage once again in this week's volatile action. Rising 37% since last Friday, crude is now at concerning levels, even outperforming the January 2022 Ukraine war weekly performance, reaching $92.68 this week - a reminder that the commodity was trading near $55 just about two months ago. The third ingredient in a daily toxic fundamental cocktail, black gold , is contributing to elevated inflation expectations. Although its closure isn't official, as during the 1970s, the Strait of Hormuz is subject to de facto restrictions, and virtually no ships have managed to cross it. Strait of Hormuz Sea Traffic – No one is crossing! Only nine ships have traversed the Strait of Hormuz this week – a major concern, particularly in Asia, where 90% of Middle Eastern oil passes through. Maritime insurance companies have strictly restricted, and in some cases banned, all types of passage, with premiums rising to historic highs. A striking example of the damage done is seen in Singaporean jet fuel prices, which have risen 140% since February 27. Singaporean Jet Fuel Prices – 1-Month prices (from March 5) With Iran adding further fuel to the fire (pun intended – even if this is nothing to joke about) by targeting Bahrain and other Gulf countries, the situation is certainly escalating. Qatar even warned of the possibility of seeing $150/barrel prices if the de facto closure sustains. To ease some price pressures, the US just launched a $20B reinsurance facility , which was met with a mildly headline-easing daily rise towards the close. US and Israeli strikes have also managed to destroy around 1,300 ballistic missile and drone launchers, leading to a now much more restricted number of attacks from the Islamic regime. This weekend will be very important towards incoming expectations, a week after the beginning of operations. As traders prepare to end another crazy week, let's explore a few key charts for WTI (US) oil to prepar...
Peter Cade/DigitalVision via Getty Images In early February, Peloton Interactive, Inc. ( PTON ) reported Q2 earnings , and this stock has slid since. Data by YCharts Q2 Recap In the quarter, PTON reported top-line revenue of $657M, a decrease of $17M, or 3% y/y. Gross margin improved in the quarter, landing at 50.5%, an increase of 3.20% y/y. Adjusted EBITDA was $81M, coming in 23% higher on a yea...
Peter Cade/DigitalVision via Getty Images In early February, Peloton Interactive, Inc. ( PTON ) reported Q2 earnings , and this stock has slid since. Data by YCharts Q2 Recap In the quarter, PTON reported top-line revenue of $657M, a decrease of $17M, or 3% y/y. Gross margin improved in the quarter, landing at 50.5%, an increase of 3.20% y/y. Adjusted EBITDA was $81M, coming in 23% higher on a year-over-year basis. GAAP net loss was $39M, and free cash flow was $72M. Additionally, in the quarter, Peloton announced that (i) its net debt decreased 52% y/y, and (ii) their integrated commercial business unit introduced the Peloton Pro Series (Peloton commercial equipment), and this business unit achieved double-digit y/y growth. The most negative from the quarter was that ending paid connected fitness subscriptions continued to fall--with 2.66M reported (a decrease of 214K, or 7%, on a y/y basis). I think that continued fall of members was the catalyst for the sell-off post-earnings release. Wall Street now views this as a cigar butt business that is shrinking over time. Peloton gave relatively upbeat guidance for FY 2026, pasted below, but despite that, Mr. Market is not believing this story, and the stock is trading at a very depressed level. Full Year FY26 Outlook Total Revenue outlook of $2.40 billion to $2.44 billion, representing a decrease of $71 million, or 3%, year-over-year at the midpoint and a decrease to our outlook provided last quarter. Total Gross Margin outlook of approximately 53.0%, reflecting an increase of 210 bps year-over-year and a 100 bps increase to our outlook provided last quarter. Adjusted EBITDA outlook of $450 million to $500 million, representing an increase of $71 million, or 18%, year-over-year at the midpoint and an increase of $25 million to our outlook provided last quarter. Free Cash Flow minimum target of $275 million, an increase of $25 million from our minimum target provided last quarter. Churn in the last quarter was up more th...
piranka/E+ via Getty Images When ChatGPT made its debut on November 30, 2022, it unleashed the hype of AI, and in the three years since, AI has taken on an outsized role not just in markets but also in our lives. For much of the time, the AI story has been told by its advocates and its salespeople, and the companies in the AI ecosystem have benefited. Not surprisingly, given that its narrators ben...
piranka/E+ via Getty Images When ChatGPT made its debut on November 30, 2022, it unleashed the hype of AI, and in the three years since, AI has taken on an outsized role not just in markets but also in our lives. For much of the time, the AI story has been told by its advocates and its salespeople, and the companies in the AI ecosystem have benefited. Not surprisingly, given that its narrators benefit from this growth, that story has emphasized the positive, with dazzling AI use cases and optimistic extrapolation of the productivity gains from its adoption. In the last few months, we have seen cracks emerge in the AI story, with investors wondering when, and in what form, the immense investments in AI architecture will pay off, and how, if they pay off, the businesses that they disrupt will fare. That disquiet has played out as negative market reactions to new AI investments at Meta and Amazon, a markdown in software company market capitalizations, and in a sell-off last week in response, at least partially, to an AI scenario assessment from Citrini Research, a publisher of macro and stock research. Given that I know very little about the technology of AI and that my macroeconomic know-how is pedestrian, my intent in this post is less about promoting my favored AI scenario and more about providing a framework for you to develop your own. The Citrini AI Assessment - Report and Responses The Citrini AI assessment came out on February 22, 2026, and it starts with a preface stating that it is presenting a scenario, not a prediction. I do have issues with that opening, but I will come to them later, but the report itself laid out a story for AI that unfolds with a dark end game for the economy, where, by June 30, 2028, the AI disruption has unsettled businesses and displaced workers, with unemployment rates rising above 10% and the market down almost 40% in response. There have been other AI doomsayers, but many of those doomsday scenarios are built around the storyline ...
What happened According to a February 17, 2026 SEC filing, Disciplined Growth Investors reduced its stake in InterDigital (IDCC 1.74%) by 181,788 shares. The fund’s position at quarter-end totaled 609,153 shares, valued at $193.94 million. What else to know This Sell reduced InterDigital’s weight to 3.71% of 13F AUM, down from 4.947% in the prior quarter Top holdings after the filing: NASDAQ:SMCI:...
What happened According to a February 17, 2026 SEC filing, Disciplined Growth Investors reduced its stake in InterDigital (IDCC 1.74%) by 181,788 shares. The fund’s position at quarter-end totaled 609,153 shares, valued at $193.94 million. What else to know This Sell reduced InterDigital’s weight to 3.71% of 13F AUM, down from 4.947% in the prior quarter Top holdings after the filing: NASDAQ:SMCI: $282.09 million (5.4% of AUM) NASDAQ:EXE: $281.40 million (5.4% of AUM) As of February 17, 2026, shares of InterDigital were priced at $366.42, up 70.3% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 by 60.81 percentage points Company/Etf overview Metric Value Market capitalization $9.19 billion Revenue (TTM) $834.01 million Net income (TTM) $406.64 million Price (as of market close 2/17/26) $366.42 Company/Etf snapshot InterDigital, Inc. is a leading innovator in wireless and video technology.The company develops and licenses advanced wireless technologies, including patented solutions for 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, video coding, and IoT devices. The company’s strategy centers on research and development, enabling it to monetize intellectual property through licensing agreements with major industry players. Its focus on next-generation wireless standards and diversified applications positions InterDigital as a key enabler of connectivity and digital transformation worldwide. InterDigital, Inc. holds a portfolio of approximately 27,500 patents and patent applications related to wireless communications and video coding. It serves global technology companies in the wireless communications, consumer electronics, and infrastructure markets. What this transaction means for investors InterDigital occupies a specialized segment of the technology industry focused on patent licensing rather than hardware production. The company develops wireless technologies, contributes them to global communication standards, and subsequently licenses these patents to device manufacturers whose products depen...