Alones Creative/iStock via Getty Images The high-quality picks-and-shovels story that is 5N Plus ( FPLSF ) has continued to work well in the months since my last update on this Canadian supplier of ultra-pure specialty materials. Up almost another 60% since then, the shares have roughly quadrupled over the past year on growing awareness of the story and optimism over the longer-term growth opportu...
Alones Creative/iStock via Getty Images The high-quality picks-and-shovels story that is 5N Plus ( FPLSF ) has continued to work well in the months since my last update on this Canadian supplier of ultra-pure specialty materials. Up almost another 60% since then, the shares have roughly quadrupled over the past year on growing awareness of the story and optimism over the longer-term growth opportunities in power, commercial space, and other high-end applications. 5N Plus shares are definitely in growth/momentum stock territory where valuation is concerned. While I do think a 30%-plus EBITDA growth rate is attainable for multiple years, the shares now trade at around 40x 12-month EBITDA expectations. Valuation alone seldom stops a growth stock in the short term, but I’m more inclined to call this a “buy on the dips” idea now rather than just diving in at any price. Healthy Results And Backlog Growth Strong demand for materials used in solar applications, as well as bismuth-based products, has continued to support strong quarterly earnings reports, with the first quarter marking the ninth straight quarterly beat relative to sell-side expectations. The first quarter saw revenue grow 33% from the prior year and 16% from the prior quarter, with good growth in both Specialty Semiconductors (up 37%) and Performance Materials (up 21%). Gross margin improved almost a point from the prior year and six points from the prior quarter, reaching 35.1% in the first quarter. While Specialty Semiconductor margin eased slightly (down 60bp yoy to 34.4%), Performance Materials improved almost five points to 37.8%. Adjusted EBITDA rose 41%, with margin up 140bp yoy to 24.8%, and beat sell-side expectations by nearly a third. Both segments grew well, with Specialty Semiconductors up 42% (margin up 90bp to 29.1%) and Performance Materials up 67% (margin up more than eight points to 31.9%). 5N Plus continues to fill its order books for the coming years, with bookings up 62% yoy (and 13% qoq...
Most of us enjoy a good comeback story, and that's exactly what Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) hopes to achieve by the end of this decade. The struggling carmaker is putting its money where its mouth is with a $70 billion turnaround strategy that focuses not just on North America, but Europe as well, through a multipronged approach to affordable pricing as the price of new vehicles continues to rise. Ste...
Most of us enjoy a good comeback story, and that's exactly what Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) hopes to achieve by the end of this decade. The struggling carmaker is putting its money where its mouth is with a $70 billion turnaround strategy that focuses not just on North America, but Europe as well, through a multipronged approach to affordable pricing as the price of new vehicles continues to rise. Stellantis is committed to driving 70% of its investment through four core brands: Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, and Fiat. If the automaker executes its strategy well, investors should be well rewarded with market-beating returns through the rest of this decade. Lost in the shuffle, though, is a key resurgence in Europe. Let's dive in. It appears that Jeep will be instrumental in reversing Stellantis' fortunes in Europe. Investors know SUVs are big business in the U.S. market, but many don't realize that small SUVs and crossovers are Europe's second-largest segment, and compact SUVs and crossovers remain the largest segment. Continue reading
SAN FRANCISCO, CA AND YEREVAN, ARMENIA / ACCESS Newswire / July 8, 2026 / Adag Group, a North American data center and mission-critical infrastructure consultancy, today announced that it has been selected by Firebird, a U.S.-based AI cloud and infrastructure ...
SAN FRANCISCO, CA AND YEREVAN, ARMENIA / ACCESS Newswire / July 8, 2026 / Adag Group, a North American data center and mission-critical infrastructure consultancy, today announced that it has been selected by Firebird, a U.S.-based AI cloud and infrastructure ...
Shares of American Airlines Group (NASDAQ:AAL) are down 5% in midday trading Wednesday, leading a broad airline selloff. United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) shares are off 4%, while Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) stock and JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ:JBLU) stock are each down 3%. The catalyst is a sharp jump in crude oil prices. Per Yahoo Finance, WTI crude ... American Airlines Sinks 5%, United Falls 4%, Delta ...
Shares of American Airlines Group (NASDAQ:AAL) are down 5% in midday trading Wednesday, leading a broad airline selloff. United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) shares are off 4%, while Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) stock and JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ:JBLU) stock are each down 3%. The catalyst is a sharp jump in crude oil prices. Per Yahoo Finance, WTI crude ... American Airlines Sinks 5%, United Falls 4%, Delta and JetBlue Slip 3% as Crude Oil Jumps
GCShutter/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Executive Summary Every quarterly report is binary. The stock can react well to a detail, or it can collapse because investors see weakness in a specific number. This euphoric behavior, in one direction or another, tends to be more typical of technology stocks; it's true. But the banking sector can also pose many pitfalls. That said, no one can know how...
GCShutter/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Executive Summary Every quarterly report is binary. The stock can react well to a detail, or it can collapse because investors see weakness in a specific number. This euphoric behavior, in one direction or another, tends to be more typical of technology stocks; it's true. But the banking sector can also pose many pitfalls. That said, no one can know how the stock will react after the release of the data, so this analysis shouldn't be viewed as a buy recommendation based on the quarterly report, but rather on the direction Wells Fargo & Company ( WFC ) has been taking lately. Of course, in my opinion, the direction is to beat analysts' estimates, but as I said before, that's not the key point. The reason I'm optimistic about the stock is that WFC is changing its game. As we all know, for many years it was penalized by the Fed's asset cap, which simply limited the bank's business, effectively blocking balance sheet growth and preventing the bank from expanding its assets, loans, and client business. As you know, that cap was recently removed, and even after its removal, there were signs of recovery, with revenues growing by an average of 5% in recent quarters, average loans growing by 10% year over year, and period-end loans reaching $1,017,000. That said, I think the focus should shift to understanding whether the bank has managed to use its balance sheet as intended, whether it has managed to grow net interest income, and whether it has increased the capital returned to shareholders. I remain a buy on the stock with a target price of $105 per share (which corresponds, at current prices, to about 19% upside). The Bank Is No Longer Blocked As I said before, I believe the removal of the asset cap in June 2025 is a significant event and a true turning point for Wells Fargo. To understand this, we must start from the assumption that for a bank, the balance sheet is the true engine of its business. That is, if it has no caps, i...
While NVIDIA provides the AI brains, Marvell provides the essential nervous system. The entire AI ecosystem fundamentally requires Marvell's specialized connectivity and custom architecture to function.
While NVIDIA provides the AI brains, Marvell provides the essential nervous system. The entire AI ecosystem fundamentally requires Marvell's specialized connectivity and custom architecture to function.
Kenneth Cheung/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Tech is the rage these days. So one would think people would find ways to chase everything in the name of FOMO. FOMO, for those who are unaware, is Fear Of Missing Out. Not to be confused with its lesser-known sibling, FOMC (no, not that FOMC), which is Fear Of Margin Calls. We were surprised to find a CEF where investors are not bidding up dollars...
Kenneth Cheung/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Tech is the rage these days. So one would think people would find ways to chase everything in the name of FOMO. FOMO, for those who are unaware, is Fear Of Missing Out. Not to be confused with its lesser-known sibling, FOMC (no, not that FOMC), which is Fear Of Margin Calls. We were surprised to find a CEF where investors are not bidding up dollars to get in line prior to a mega IPO. We go over our thoughts on this CEF today. According to their website, our protagonist aims for at least 80% technology exposure. BlackRock Technology and Private Equity Term Trust ( BTX ) (the “Trust”) investment objectives are to provide total return and income primarily through long-term capital appreciation. The Trust will invest, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its total assets in a combination of equity securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. technology and privately held companies. Source: BTX A little history on this one is relevant. The fund launched right at the peak of the 2021 mania when everyone was chasing SPACs and NFTs. Both those asset classes (using the term rather loosely for the latter) dropped 80% to 100% on average. It took us collectively some time to realize that laughing monkey JPEGs were not the Ponzi scheme we wanted to back. We are unsure where BTX ventured with its private tech holdings at the time of this bubble bursting, but it did not fare well. BTX The overall tech sector was also pummeled in 2022 but BTX was still a standout. BTX underperformed both the Invesco QQQ Trust ( QQQ ) and the State Street Technology Select SPDR ( XLK ) by a massive spread. It even dropped 13% more than TriplePoint Venture BDC Corp. ( TPVG ), a BDC that invests in similar emerging technology companies. In fact, 2023 and 2024 weren't impressive either in a relative way. Cumulatively, the fund was down 29% over a 3-year timeframe. It did beat TPVG but trailed XLK by a whopping 67%. The fund then decided to change i...
Chip stocks fell, reversing gains seen earlier in the session and extending recent losses. The PHLX Semiconductor Index is down 0.1%, falling alongside the broader market sell-off fueled by a reignited U.
Chip stocks fell, reversing gains seen earlier in the session and extending recent losses. The PHLX Semiconductor Index is down 0.1%, falling alongside the broader market sell-off fueled by a reignited U.
The S&P 500 Index ($SPX ) (SPY ) today is down -0.49%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI ) (DIA ) is down -0.96%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX ) (QQQ ) is down -0.19%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26 ) are down -0.49%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures...
The S&P 500 Index ($SPX ) (SPY ) today is down -0.49%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI ) (DIA ) is down -0.96%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX ) (QQQ ) is down -0.19%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26 ) are down -0.49%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures...
Wolterk/iStock Editorial via Getty Images The two crude oil benchmarks are the WTI futures trading on the CME’s NYMEX division and the Brent North Sea futures trading on the Intercontinental Exchange. Gasoline and heating oil futures and oil products trade on the CME’s NYMEX division. The WTI crude oil is light and sweet, with a low sulfur content. WTI is most efficiently processed into gasoline, ...
Wolterk/iStock Editorial via Getty Images The two crude oil benchmarks are the WTI futures trading on the CME’s NYMEX division and the Brent North Sea futures trading on the Intercontinental Exchange. Gasoline and heating oil futures and oil products trade on the CME’s NYMEX division. The WTI crude oil is light and sweet, with a low sulfur content. WTI is most efficiently processed into gasoline, while Brent’s slightly higher sulfur content makes it ideal for refining into heating oil. Since heating oil is a medium distillate, NYMEX heating oil futures serve as a proxy for jet and diesel fuels. Crack spreads reflect the margin for refining a barrel of crude oil into oil products. Rising crack spreads increase demand for crude oil and boost profit margins for crude oil refiners. Falling crack spreads do the opposite. Therefore, crack spreads are real-time barometers for oil demand and refinery earnings. Marathon Petroleum Corporation ( MPC ) is a leading U.S. oil refining company that has benefited from rising crack spreads in 2026. The hostilities in the Middle East that caused crude oil prices to rally had a knock-on impact on oil products and crack spreads. Gasoline And Heating Oil Crack Spreads Remain Elevated Crack spreads are real-time earnings indicators for refiners like Marathon Petroleum. Historically high crack spreads translate to stellar earnings. Quarterly Chart of the RBOB Gasoline versus WTI Crude Oil Crack Spread (CQG) The quarterly chart shows that at $53.65 per barrel, the gasoline refining spread is at its second-highest level, just below the 2022 all-time high of $61.95 when Russia, a leading oil producer, invaded Ukraine. The gasoline refining spread traded to a high of $58.09 per barrel on July 6, 2026. Quarterly Chart of the Distillate versus WTI Crude Oil Crack Spread (CQG) The quarterly chart of the distillate crack spread shows that the refining spread is elevated at $73.59 per barrel and reached a record high of $92.95 in March 2026. The 2...
Zillow Group Inc. and Rocket Companies Inc. ’s Redfin are headed to trial next month in the US Federal Trade Commission’s challenge to an apartment-listing partnership, after a judge in Virginia declined a government request to decide the case early. US District Judge Anthony Trenga on Wednesday denied an FTC request to block the partnership for now. At a hearing in Alexandria, Trenga said too man...
Zillow Group Inc. and Rocket Companies Inc. ’s Redfin are headed to trial next month in the US Federal Trade Commission’s challenge to an apartment-listing partnership, after a judge in Virginia declined a government request to decide the case early. US District Judge Anthony Trenga on Wednesday denied an FTC request to block the partnership for now. At a hearing in Alexandria, Trenga said too many disputes exist in the case to decide it before a trial, which is slated to start Aug. 24 and last two weeks. The FTC and a group of states sued Zillow and Redfin over the February 2025 agreement between the companies, in which Zillow paid $100 million to become the exclusive provider of information on apartment rentals offered by Redfin. Redfin, which operates the websites Rent.com and ApartmentGuide.com, exited the market for apartment-rental listings, firing staff and transferring its customer lists to Zillow. Enforcers challenged the agreement under both antitrust and merger laws, saying the arrangement effectively combined two of the three largest rental-listings services. Zillow operates a number of real estate websites including Zillow Rentals, Hotpads and Trulia. At Wednesday’s hearing, FTC lawyer Allyson Maltas argued the deal between Zillow and Redfin reduced competition for internet listing services on apartment rentals. Zillow and Redfin claim those listings compete with other types of advertising including Google search results and social media advertising, but no one disputes that listing services are a primary way that apartment managers advertise, Maltas said. The fact that apartment managers “also spend money in other ways is immaterial,” she said. But Ryan Shores , a lawyer for Zillow, said search and social media advertising are interchangeable with the listings provided by Zillow, Redfin and others like CoStar Group Inc. The court can only make that determination by hearing evidence at trial, he said. CoStar, which operates Apartments.com and 10 other w...
Lamb Weston (LW) has an impressive earnings surprise history and currently possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely beat in its next quarterly report.
Lamb Weston (LW) has an impressive earnings surprise history and currently possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely beat in its next quarterly report.
Exxon (XOM) has an impressive earnings surprise history and currently possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely beat in its next quarterly report.
Exxon (XOM) has an impressive earnings surprise history and currently possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely beat in its next quarterly report.
Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images The massive AI infrastructure buildout continues to be the main driver of both the U.S. equity markets as well as the U.S. economy. The five major hyperscalers combined have capex budgets for FY2026 of just over $700 billion. This is more than two percent of the just over $30 trillion of GDP the U.S. will deliver this fiscal year. U.S. GDP By Year (FED)...
Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images The massive AI infrastructure buildout continues to be the main driver of both the U.S. equity markets as well as the U.S. economy. The five major hyperscalers combined have capex budgets for FY2026 of just over $700 billion. This is more than two percent of the just over $30 trillion of GDP the U.S. will deliver this fiscal year. U.S. GDP By Year (FED) Spending around the AI Revolution contributed approximately 70% of GDP growth in Q1. Whether the massive investments by the hyperscalers ends up driving an acceptable return on investment, or ROI, is an open question. However, this spending is powering impressive profit and revenue growth at those supplying the ' picks & shovels ' to this buildout, including Intel ( INTC ) , Sandisk, Inc. ( SNDX ), and Micron Technology ( MU ). Q1 Non-Residential Fixed Investment (Zero Hedge) The economic growth coming from the construction of massive AI data centers and their associated infrastructure is also masking significant weakness throughout most of the rest of the U.S. economy. This is especially true for U.S. consumers not in the top decile of the K-shaped economy. And consumers do account for roughly two-thirds of economic activity in the country. Statista - February 2026 In today's article, I highlight five numbers pointing to the struggling U.S. consumer that will continue to be a headwind for the U.S. economy. If AI-related capex spending growth ebbs or if hyperscalers ever pare back their budgets, the U.S. economy could soon find itself in recession as there are few other economic engines that are currently firing. #1 - 61.5% U.S. Labor Participation Rate (FRED) That is the current labor participation rate from the just-released June BLS report that came out on Friday. This was the key reason that the unemployment rate ticked down 0.1% to 4.2% despite job creation coming in at roughly half expectations last month. To put this in perspective, this is approximately 600 bps low...
In trading on Wednesday, the KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF is outperforming other ETFs, up about 3.5% on the day. Components of that ETF showing particular strength include shares of Autohome, up about 5.6% and shares of PDD Holdings, up about 2.6% on the day. And underpe
In trading on Wednesday, the KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF is outperforming other ETFs, up about 3.5% on the day. Components of that ETF showing particular strength include shares of Autohome, up about 5.6% and shares of PDD Holdings, up about 2.6% on the day. And underpe
One of the most important companies in the artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain is about to become far easier for U.S. investors to own. South Korea's SK Hynix (FRA: HY9H) is the world's leading maker of the high-bandwidth memory that sits alongside Nvidia 's chips in AI data centers. This week, it launched a U.S. share sale to raise about 43 trillion won, or roughly $28 billion. The listing ...
One of the most important companies in the artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain is about to become far easier for U.S. investors to own. South Korea's SK Hynix (FRA: HY9H) is the world's leading maker of the high-bandwidth memory that sits alongside Nvidia 's chips in AI data centers. This week, it launched a U.S. share sale to raise about 43 trillion won, or roughly $28 billion. The listing is expected to price on Thursday, July 9, with the stock set to begin trading on Friday, July 10. For anyone trying to invest in the AI memory boom, this is a name worth understanding. Here's what the deal involves and what it changes. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading