IvelinRadkov/iStock via Getty Images Paycom Software, Inc. ( PAYC ) is another software/cloud stock caught up in the SaaSpocalypse selling on Wall Street. The fear is individual customers will develop their own AI software solutions over time, eliminating the need for Paycom products. However, I don't see this changeover happening overnight, while the majority of smaller businesses may stick with ...
IvelinRadkov/iStock via Getty Images Paycom Software, Inc. ( PAYC ) is another software/cloud stock caught up in the SaaSpocalypse selling on Wall Street. The fear is individual customers will develop their own AI software solutions over time, eliminating the need for Paycom products. However, I don't see this changeover happening overnight, while the majority of smaller businesses may stick with the PAYC software they know and trust to work easily, properly, and efficiently (employee payroll and human resource functions). Paycom's application and database management services are considered a top-rated online product and service for small to medium-sized businesses in the U.S. Paycom Website - April 29th, 2026 Paycom Website - April 29th, 2026 Paycom Website - April 29th, 2026 Paycom Website - April 29th, 2026 Paycom Website - April 29th, 2026 The stock quote has fallen so far, so fast over the last 12 months; still, improving operating metrics crossed with the 50%-off sale for shares has created the cheapest valuation for PAYC ever. To boot, high-volume turnover in ownership units alongside a trend-changing chart pattern could be pinpointing a bottom for price. Taken together, the ultra-low valuation on a leading business HR software offering and still-growing business, with reversing trading momentum in favor of bulls, is a proposition hard for me to pass up. I have been purchasing opening stakes in my hedged-portfolio designs (for immediate stock market direction) over the past week. If AI-related fear-based selling proves overdone and an emotional overreaction, a +50% or better gain in PAYCOM over the next 12-18 months is a real possibility (with final gains affected by overall stock market swings in price and value). Undervaluation Setup When reviewing a list of fundamental data points for underlying valuation of the stock, Paycom Software is clearly selling at its lowest setup on trailing or forward operating metrics since its IPO in 2014. For example, price t...
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) delivered its fiscal Q3 2026 report after the close on April 29, 2026, beating on both the top and bottom line. Yet the stock is down 5.26% today to $402.13, suggesting investors fixated on the $30.88 billion capex bill rather than the eye-popping growth metrics underneath. The headline number that should have stolen ... The Incredible Number Hiding in Microsoft’s Earnings ...
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) delivered its fiscal Q3 2026 report after the close on April 29, 2026, beating on both the top and bottom line. Yet the stock is down 5.26% today to $402.13, suggesting investors fixated on the $30.88 billion capex bill rather than the eye-popping growth metrics underneath. The headline number that should have stolen ... The Incredible Number Hiding in Microsoft’s Earnings Report
The Marketplace Morning Report segment titled “Chipping away at Nvidia’s chip dominance” carried a market call that pulled focus from semiconductors to crude. The hosts noted Brent crude oil prices spiked to just under $117 per barrel as headlines crossed that, per Axios, President Trump is being briefed on further military options in Iran, while ... Brent Crude Spikes to $117 on Iran Military Opt...
The Marketplace Morning Report segment titled “Chipping away at Nvidia’s chip dominance” carried a market call that pulled focus from semiconductors to crude. The hosts noted Brent crude oil prices spiked to just under $117 per barrel as headlines crossed that, per Axios, President Trump is being briefed on further military options in Iran, while ... Brent Crude Spikes to $117 on Iran Military Option Reports
女王经常将出访礼服化作无声的外交礼仪，用色彩与纹样传递尊重，搭建起跨文化沟通的桥梁。 柔和的暖光落在一袭缀满银线亮片的裙身上，这件伴娘礼服曾属于年仅8岁的伊丽莎白二世，这是她1934年出席叔叔肯特公爵与希腊玛丽娜公主婚礼时的着装。近百年流转，薄纱裙摆依旧精巧细腻，腰际的那簇仿真花也完好如初。 为纪念女王诞辰100周年，白金汉宫于4月10日至10月18日推出“伊丽莎白二世女王：她的时尚生活”（Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style），呈现300余件展品，涵盖高定华服、配饰、面料样品、手写信件和未曾公开的设计手稿，包括1947年女王大婚时的婚纱。 在位70年，伊丽莎白二世见证了一个时代的更迭与变迁，而她的衣橱就是一部鲜活的王室时尚“活档案”：从少女时期灵动俏皮的芭蕾舞裙到青年时期加冕盛典上的华丽礼服，再到晚年简约优雅的亮色套装，每一套造型都藏着她的审美蜕变与人生沉淀。这一次，人们将透过藏在衣橱里的密码，走进这位传奇君主的时尚人生。 将时尚作为外交手段 伊丽莎白二世生于1926年，亲历了二战、冷战等重要历史节点，穿搭风格始终与身份、心境紧密呼应。 少女时期，她贴合战时简约的英式淑女风格。1952年继位后，女王转向庄重沉稳的色调，日常频繁穿着藏蓝、墨绿等深色礼服，以坚韧形象成为国家的精神象征。中年时期，她的穿搭趋于柔和，弱化繁复装饰，用剪裁利落的纯色外套与简约礼帽强化气场。步入晚年，她打造了风靡全球的“彩虹衣橱”，高饱和单色套装搭配同色系礼帽、手套、丝巾，形成极具辨识度的个人风格，在公开场合亮相，总能让民众快速捕捉到她的身影。而她在雨天常搭配的透明雨衣与透明“鸟笼伞”，以简洁朴素的细节打破距离感，传递从容、亲切的君主形象。 展览中的时尚草图和附有布料的刺绣样板，向公众展现了女王的衣橱从不是简单的服饰堆砌，而是饱含心意的主动创作。策展人Caroline de Guitaut评价：“伊丽莎白二世女王对自己衣橱的方方面面都倾注了很多心血，她将时尚作为外交手段。” 1953年的加冕礼服，她敲定采用自己设计的婚纱廓形，打破传统，在白金与银线刺绣的基础上加入彩色丝线，并绣上代表英国与英联邦国家的植物，以珍珠、亮片和水晶装饰。 女王经常将出访礼服化作无声的外交礼仪，用色彩与纹样传递尊重，搭建起跨文化沟通的桥梁：1961年初访卡拉奇，她以一袭白裙搭配翡翠...
Geopolitical crises tend to beget other crises. On that note, the European energy benchmark, Dutch TTF natural gas, nearly doubled by mid-March after the Feb. 28 strikes on Iran resulted in the cessation of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. European gas storage entered the crisis well below normal levels, now leaving the continent racing to refill its reserves. If the scenario sounds familiar,...
Geopolitical crises tend to beget other crises. On that note, the European energy benchmark, Dutch TTF natural gas, nearly doubled by mid-March after the Feb. 28 strikes on Iran resulted in the cessation of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. European gas storage entered the crisis well below normal levels, now leaving the continent racing to refill its reserves. If the scenario sounds familiar, it's because around four years ago, Russia's invasion of Ukraine severed European pipeline gas supplies and sent power bills spiraling higher across the continent. This time, the trigger is different, but the financial implications for U.S. investors with European-exposed holdings are somewhat similar. Let's walk through the implications of this emerging energy crisis. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
The global economy is increasingly captive to two opposing forces. A recent flurry of data underscores how the AI investment boom is propelling trade, investment and consumption in some corners, while the energy shock from the Iran war is inhibiting them in others. Growth in Taiwan jumped almost 14% last quarter, the fastest expansion since 1987, and South Korea’s exports advanced by almost 50% fo...
The global economy is increasingly captive to two opposing forces. A recent flurry of data underscores how the AI investment boom is propelling trade, investment and consumption in some corners, while the energy shock from the Iran war is inhibiting them in others. Growth in Taiwan jumped almost 14% last quarter, the fastest expansion since 1987, and South Korea’s exports advanced by almost 50% for a second straight month in April as chip exports surged 173% from a year earlier. By contrast, the Bank of Japan this week slashed its economic growth forecasts and held interest rates steady, with weakness in the yen triggering a rare intervention . Factory output fell in March in Japan, where there are fears that food and beverage prices are set to increase because of a shortage of a key ingredient used in plastic packaging. Asia sits at the epicenter of both the power crunch that’s sinking growth prospects, threatening shortages and sparking inflation concerns, and the growth tailwind fueled by the buildup in data storage capacity and artificial intelligence. The economic reverberations are going global, though, as policymakers from New Zealand to Norway brace for impact and investors bet on winners and losers. Knock-on effects So far this year, the currencies of commodity-exporting nations have outperformed, including the Norwegian krone and the Australian dollar. In contrast, those dependent on energy imports such as India’s rupee and the South Korean won have lagged. A similar divide is defining winners and losers across stock markets. In China, exports kept factories humming in April even as construction suffered its biggest slump since the early stages of the Covid pandemic and the services sector fell back into contraction. Disparities in gross domestic product were evident across Europe, where Spain, Germany and Italy’s economies in the first quarter outperformed while France’s stalled. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned the continent may ...
PM Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images When I last wrote about Apollo Global Management ( APO ), I built a bullish thesis surrounding the company's private credit infrastructure and how they were positioned to lead in the rapidly growing space. Since then, Apollo has blown past the $107.14 fair value I projected. Once again, after years of strong performance, Apollo has found itself unfairly dis...
PM Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images When I last wrote about Apollo Global Management ( APO ), I built a bullish thesis surrounding the company's private credit infrastructure and how they were positioned to lead in the rapidly growing space. Since then, Apollo has blown past the $107.14 fair value I projected. Once again, after years of strong performance, Apollo has found itself unfairly discounted by a fearful market. Given high-conviction upside potential and a defensive operational position, I rate Apollo a 'buy'. Company Overview Apollo Global Management is an integrated financial services company with extensive positioning across private markets via Apollo Asset Management and retirement services via Athene. Apollo Q4'26 Presentation Despite leadership across both these spaces- with Apollo reaching a record AUM of $938 Bn and inflows of $228 Bn in FY25- the company's stock has experienced a ~16.27% YTD decline. The reason for this is well-known, driven by the market's fear surrounding liquidity and underwriting practices. What is the Market Missing? In my view, the information asymmetry pervasive throughout the private credit industry, as well as the institutional vs. retail dynamics, has arbitrarily undermined private credit valuations. There has been an oversized focus on retail-oriented BDCs as a proxy for the health of private credit as a whole, when the vast majority of private credit assets are institutionally held and have remained relatively stable in terms of withdrawals and markdowns. Statista Private Credit Market Though the market has corrected some of its decline, I believe Apollo still maintains space for growth, especially given its best-in-class insurance/institutional private credit infrastructure. Valuation & Financials Trailing Year Performance In the TTM period, Apollo's stock- down 11.05%- has underperformed both the financial services industry, as represented by the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLF )- up 6.68%- and the broader...
Earnings Call Insights: Illumina (ILMN) Q1 2026 Management View Jacob Thaysen opened by saying, "We are off to a great start in 2026 with Q1 revenue, margin and EPS all coming in above our guidance range," adding that performance reflected "strength in our clinical markets and growth across all regions, excluding China" (CEO Jacob Thaysen). Thaysen highlighted "Over 80 NovaSeq X placements in the ...
Earnings Call Insights: Illumina (ILMN) Q1 2026 Management View Jacob Thaysen opened by saying, "We are off to a great start in 2026 with Q1 revenue, margin and EPS all coming in above our guidance range," adding that performance reflected "strength in our clinical markets and growth across all regions, excluding China" (CEO Jacob Thaysen). Thaysen highlighted "Over 80 NovaSeq X placements in the quarter" and said the company "exited the quarter with a solid backlog, giving us confidence to raise our full year instrument outlook" (CEO Thaysen). Thaysen said Illumina closed "the SomaLogic acquisition with the business performing in line with our expectations on both revenue and profitability" and noted "Clinical made up more than 65% of our sequencing consumables revenue in the quarter" (CEO Thaysen). Thaysen detailed product updates including, "We launched TruPath," and said Illumina remains "on track to launch" its "spatial transcriptomics offering" later this year; he also referenced an "18-month road map" for NovaSeq X (CEO Thaysen). Ankur Dhingra said, "Illumina's revenue of $1.09 billion came in $20 million above the midpoint of our guidance," driven "primarily by better-than-expected instrument sales" and "clinical consumable sales" (CFO Ankur Dhingra). Outlook Management raised full-year guidance, with Dhingra stating, "We are raising our reported revenue guidance by $20 million... and now expect revenue of $4.52 billion to $4.62 billion" and "now expect non-GAAP diluted EPS of $5.15 to $5.30" (CFO Dhingra). For Q2, Dhingra guided, "reported revenue of $1.12 billion to $1.14 billion, with non-GAAP EPS of $1.20 to $1.25" and said Q2 operating margins are assumed "approximately 22%" (CFO Dhingra). On why organic growth percentages did not move more, Dhingra said, "Decimal points move, hence, the percentage is what it is. There's nothing else more than that" (CFO Dhingra). Financial Results Dhingra reported Q1 revenue of $1.09 billion, with sequencing consumable...
It can be tough to chase breakout moments, especially if a consolidating stock has already dealt out a fake-out in the past year. In any case, Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) shares were quite quick to tumble below $200 per share after rejoining the $5 trillion club, once again, for just a few days. For Nvidia shareholders who ... Did Nvidia Just Deliver a Breakout Fake-Out? Why Dip‑Buyers Should Welcome a D...
It can be tough to chase breakout moments, especially if a consolidating stock has already dealt out a fake-out in the past year. In any case, Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) shares were quite quick to tumble below $200 per share after rejoining the $5 trillion club, once again, for just a few days. For Nvidia shareholders who ... Did Nvidia Just Deliver a Breakout Fake-Out? Why Dip‑Buyers Should Welcome a Dip
In this article PONY 3750-HK 3750-HK Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT The steering wheel on an Inceptio Technology autonomous truck in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images BEIJING — While AI updates make headlines every few weeks, those advances are not enough to get self-driving vehicles on the road more quickly. That's ...
In this article PONY 3750-HK 3750-HK Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT The steering wheel on an Inceptio Technology autonomous truck in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images BEIJING — While AI updates make headlines every few weeks, those advances are not enough to get self-driving vehicles on the road more quickly. That's according to Chinese autonomous trucking companies, who say that improvements in large language model, from Anthropic's Claude to China's DeepSeek, have little impact on the timeline for vehicle deployment. “The world's best linguistics [expert] doesn't mean he's a good driver," Pony.ai CEO James Peng told reporters last week. "AI is a very broad term. They're completely different things. Absolutely ... zero relevance." "When we process language, when we play sports, when we drive we all use different skills," he said. Autonomous driving uses artificial intelligence to imitate a human driver with a combination of sensors, chips and algorithms. But the real-world training data needed is very different from what powers large language models such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, requiring what's called world models. Inceptio, a self-driving truck startup, is still sticking to its timeline for a mid-2028 commercialization milestone, unaffected by the broad advances in AI, CEO Julian Ma told CNBC. By the third or fourth quarter of 2028, he expects Inceptio will have racked up 5 billion kilometers (3.1 billion miles) of truck driving data in China — enough to allow fully autonomous heavy-duty trucks to ply public roads. watch now VIDEO 9:47 09:47 Trying out xAI's Grok chatbot in a Tesla while driving in New York City Tech With 5 billion kilometers in collected driving data, AI can extrapolate that into 50 billion km of experience in a world model — which is then sufficient to allow a heavy-duty truck to drive completely on its own, Ma said. He expects the trucks can then start operating with...