White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Wednesday said the U.S. government would avoid picking winners and losers in artificial intelligence, underscoring the Trump administration’s market-driven approach as it prepares a new set of AI policy directives. Wiles issued the statement from her new account on X, as questions swirl about whether the administration will seek to screen new models and if...
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Wednesday said the U.S. government would avoid picking winners and losers in artificial intelligence, underscoring the Trump administration’s market-driven approach as it prepares a new set of AI policy directives. Wiles issued the statement from her new account on X, as questions swirl about whether the administration will seek to screen new models and if it will deescalate its feud with Anthropic PBC ( ANTHRO ). " This administration has one goal; ensure the best and safest tech is deployed rapidly to defeat any and all threats." Dear readers: We recognize that politics often intersects with the financial news of the day, so we invite you to click here to join the separate political discussion. More on Anthropic, Alphabet, etc. Alphabet Is Benefiting As AI-Generated Code Increases Alphabet's $460B AI Lock-In Alphabet: The $108.6 Billion Warning That Made Me Bullish Again OpenAI, Anthropic going after AI services an attempt to expand distribution ASAP: Jefferies Rivals turn partners as Anthropic inks deal to secure computing power from xAI's Colossus 1
undefined Global fertility rates are dropping sharply. World Bank data show the global total fertility rate, or TFR, fell to 2.2 in 2023 from 2.7 in 2000. Two-thirds of countries now report TFRs below 2.1, the replacement level required for stable populations. China’s TFR hit 1.0 in 2023 and is projected to slip below that threshold by 2025. Artificial intelligence threatens to accelerate this dec...
undefined Global fertility rates are dropping sharply. World Bank data show the global total fertility rate, or TFR, fell to 2.2 in 2023 from 2.7 in 2000. Two-thirds of countries now report TFRs below 2.1, the replacement level required for stable populations. China’s TFR hit 1.0 in 2023 and is projected to slip below that threshold by 2025. Artificial intelligence threatens to accelerate this decline. AI Expands the Landscape of Entertainment How AI depresses fertility
Earnings Call Insights: SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG) Q1 2026 Management view CEO Yehoshua Nir said SolarEdge is “shifting from defense to offense,” prioritizing “driving towards profitable growth, expanding global market share, scaling SolarEdge Nexis and investing in high-growth adjacencies such as AI data center power.” On near-term profitability, CEO Nir said, “At the midpoint of our guidance,...
Earnings Call Insights: SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG) Q1 2026 Management view CEO Yehoshua Nir said SolarEdge is “shifting from defense to offense,” prioritizing “driving towards profitable growth, expanding global market share, scaling SolarEdge Nexis and investing in high-growth adjacencies such as AI data center power.” On near-term profitability, CEO Nir said, “At the midpoint of our guidance, we expect to approach breakeven operating profit in the second quarter,” calling it “an important milestone in our transformation.” On demand and positioning, CEO Nir described the U.S. residential market as “a slow start this year as customers face changes in tax credit policies and uncertainty related to FEOC,” while adding, “we believe we are well positioned to benefit when the market rebound.” In U.S. commercial and industrial, CEO Nir said SolarEdge’s “products that are designed to be both domestic content and FEOC compliant” have “resulted in share gains,” and added, “We view this position as structural rather than cyclical.” In Europe, CEO Nir said the market “picked up in March, a trend that continued into April,” and that Q1 Europe revenue “reach[ed] its highest point since Q4 2023,” driven by “stronger battery demand.” On Nexis, CEO Nir said, “Our entire planned Q2 Nexis production is fully booked by European customers,” and added that Nexis helps address “larger homes which account for over 50% of the residential market in Germany.” CFO Asaf Alperovitz reported, “Non-GAAP revenues for the first quarter were $310 million,” and “Non-GAAP gross margin this quarter was slightly up to 23.5%.” CEO Nir announced a finance leadership transition: “Asaf will continue in his role through June 9,” and said, “we expect no disruption to our 2026 plan.” Outlook CFO Asaf Alperovitz guided, “We’re expecting revenues to be within the range of $325 million to $355 million,” and, “We expect non-GAAP gross margins to be within the range of 23% to 27%.” CFO Alperovitz added, “We expe...
Earnings Call Insights: Chegg, Inc. (CHGG) Q1 2026 Management View "Q1 was a strong quarter. We exceeded our expectations for revenue, profitability, free cash flow while significantly reducing debt, and we continue to optimize our cost base and capital expenditure," said "Daniel Rosensweig (Executive Chairman, President & CEO)." He framed the operating reset as structural, adding, "Our financials...
Earnings Call Insights: Chegg, Inc. (CHGG) Q1 2026 Management View "Q1 was a strong quarter. We exceeded our expectations for revenue, profitability, free cash flow while significantly reducing debt, and we continue to optimize our cost base and capital expenditure," said "Daniel Rosensweig (Executive Chairman, President & CEO)." He framed the operating reset as structural, adding, "Our financials, our corporate structure, our product experience are all optimized around AI and the results are showing." Rosensweig tied the growth narrative to Chegg Skilling and enterprise distribution, saying, "We continue to expect double-digit revenue growth in skilling for the full year 2026 with acceleration as the year progresses." He highlighted a new enterprise channel, noting, "Notably, we recently signed a partnership with Cornerstone, a leading learning and talent management platform. This is expected to open up a meaningful enterprise distribution channel for Chegg Skills and connect us with customers at scale." Rosensweig emphasized credential expansion and product direction: "for the first time, we are expanding our skilling platform through accredited offerings" and "with Woolf... we are launching our first AI master's program, combining applied learning with recognized credentials." He also described language learning moving "beyond structured lessons towards real-time in-workflow coaching." "David Longo (CFO, Principal Financial & Accounting Officer, Treasurer & Corporate Secretary)" linked the quarter to execution and profitability, stating, "we delivered a strong first quarter, which exceeded expectations" and "Our strategic focus on the large and growing skilling market positions us for long-term sustainable growth with strong margins." Outlook Longo guided Q2 Chegg Skilling revenue to "$17.5 million to $18 million" and total revenue to "between $49 million and $50 million," with "gross margins in the range of 51% to 52%" and "adjusted EBITDA between $5 million and...
Earnings Call Insights: H&R Block (HRB) Q3 fiscal 2026 Management View "This quarter, we delivered strong results ahead of expectations across all key metrics." (CEO, President & Director Curtis Campbell) "Based on our year-to-date performance, we are raising our full year outlook." (CEO Campbell) "A key question surrounding H&R Block's performance has been when we stabilize assisted channel marke...
Earnings Call Insights: H&R Block (HRB) Q3 fiscal 2026 Management View "This quarter, we delivered strong results ahead of expectations across all key metrics." (CEO, President & Director Curtis Campbell) "Based on our year-to-date performance, we are raising our full year outlook." (CEO Campbell) "A key question surrounding H&R Block's performance has been when we stabilize assisted channel market share. Well, this season, we did." (CEO Campbell) "After 2 years of improving share trends, that progress translated into meaningful inflection in tax season '26, as we maintained assisted share, holding our position in a highly competitive environment." (CEO Campbell) "I'm pleased to share that new clients who received Second Look last tax season returned at a 600-plus basis point higher rate compared to new clients who did not receive Second Look." (CEO Campbell) "Coming out of the season, we saw a 550 basis point increase in product attach." (CEO Campbell) "This year, we rolled out Sidekick, our AI-enabled tax pro assistant." (CEO Campbell) "AI Tax Assist supported 4.1 million client messages and responses, representing an 88% increase year-over-year." (CEO Campbell) "In the third quarter, we delivered revenue of $2.4 billion, an increase of 5.3% over the prior year." (Chief Financial Officer Tiffany Mason) "Based on our year-to-date results, including a strong tax season, we have raised our full year outlook." (CFO Mason) Outlook "We now expect revenue in the range of $3.91 billion to $3.92 billion; EBITDA in the range of $1.025 billion to $1.035 billion; an effective tax rate of approximately 14%; and adjusted diluted earnings per share in the range of $5.10 to $5.20." (CFO Mason) "We've also incorporated full season results, peak period labor costs and a planned shift in marketing expense that aligns with later season filing dynamics." (CFO Mason) "Extensions are up." (CFO Mason) "No changes, Alex. We're committed to the long-term growth algorithm." (CFO Mason) Fina...
Earnings Call Insights: Core Scientific (CORZ) Q1 2026 Management View “Over the past year, we've translated that strategy into execution, delivering high-density capacity at scale across multiple states,” and “we are now earning revenue on approximately 245 megawatts with another 200 megawatts expected to be earning revenue in the coming months,” CEO Adam Sullivan said. Sullivan said, “Today, we ...
Earnings Call Insights: Core Scientific (CORZ) Q1 2026 Management View “Over the past year, we've translated that strategy into execution, delivering high-density capacity at scale across multiple states,” and “we are now earning revenue on approximately 245 megawatts with another 200 megawatts expected to be earning revenue in the coming months,” CEO Adam Sullivan said. Sullivan said, “Today, we closed on a $3.3 billion capital raise supported by that contract with the proceeds to be used for future growth and the development of projects for other customers,” adding, “we are not waiting for deal negotiations to conclude before advancing sites.” Sullivan said the company is “actively converting the site from Bitcoin mining to high-density colocation” at Pecos, and that at Muskogee “we see a path to 1.5 gigawatts of gross power,” while also saying the company “expect[s] to deliver additional data center capacity outside of our current contract in late 2027.” COO Matt Brown said, “we have delivered 243 megawatts of billable capacity to CoreWeave,” and the company is “positioning us to deliver more than 450 billable by the end of the summer, while remaining on track to deliver the full 590 megawatts by the early 2027.” CFO Jim Nygaard said, “we reached an important inflection point as our colocation revenue scaled to a level sufficient to cover operating costs and begin expanding margins,” and added, “First quarter SG&A on a cash basis was just over $30 million.” Outlook Nygaard said, “We expect to deploy roughly $2 billion of total capital expenditures in 2026,” including “expenditures to begin preceding approximately 1 gigawatt of new billable capacity,” and said the company is “position[ing] the business to sign attractive new customer contracts with capacity outside of CoreWeave available for delivery starting in early 2027.” Sullivan described a shift in commercial process after a prior exclusive discussion ended: “That exclusivity has now expired,” and “it also i...
A key measure of bulk-shipping rates jumped to the highest level since December 2023, driven by rising demand for Capesize vessels along with tightening supply of ships that haul bulk commodities. The Baltic Dry Index surged 5.6% to 2,991 points on Wednesday, extending gains for a fourth session. The gauge tracks freight rates for Capesize, Panamax, and Supramax ships transporting raw materials su...
A key measure of bulk-shipping rates jumped to the highest level since December 2023, driven by rising demand for Capesize vessels along with tightening supply of ships that haul bulk commodities. The Baltic Dry Index surged 5.6% to 2,991 points on Wednesday, extending gains for a fourth session. The gauge tracks freight rates for Capesize, Panamax, and Supramax ships transporting raw materials such as iron ore, coal and grain. The Capesize market has “strengthened sharply over the past two weeks” on tightening ship availability in the Pacific, disruptions to iron ore exports from Brazil, and hedging of future freight rates, said Pranay Shukla, the head of dry bulk freight and commodities research at S&P Global Energy. Strong bulk commodity exports in April are expected to continue this month and into June, according to data from S&P Global Energy. The Capesize segment on the Baltic Dry Index accounts for about 40% of the gauge, and is the section most exposed to iron ore, used to make steel. The conflict in the Middle East has also played a part in higher rates. The Iran war has been a “volatility-driven accelerator, amplifying freight market moves and lifting sentiment,” according to shipbroker Ifchor Galbraiths. Iron ore futures in Singapore were little changed at $110.70 a ton as of 11:49 a.m. local time after rising 1.8% in the previous session to settle at the highest since October 2024. The move came as China returned from a holiday.