2 months ago
In its early years, Chinese battery leader CATL focused on electric vehicles (EVs), riding the explosive growth of the global e-mobility market. The company has since taken a turn, aggressively expanding its energy storage business with a target for storage to generate 50% of its global sales by 2030.
Today, CATL stands as one of the world's largest grid storage suppliers, powering megaprojects such as Synergy's 2.4GW-hour (GWh) Collie Battery in Australia and the 1.4GWh Gemini Solar-Plus-Storage project in Nevada, US.
In an exclusive interview with Power Technology, CATL's managing director of Western Europe, Hank Zhao, and chief technology officer of AC (alternating current) systems, Bruce Li, share how they translate learnings from the company's automotive history to its stationary storage unit. They also discuss the operational realities of energy storage leadership, executive decision-making in a fast-changing industry, and bridging the gap between Chinese technology and European markets.
Hank Zhao (HZ): I joined the company's EV business in 2010 and stayed there for 11 years before moving to the energy storage unit in mid-2021.
When the company was founded, it started with e-mobility and stationary storage as its two main business directions. But I think before 2020, the business scale of storage was much smaller than for EVs, and we didn't see as many opportunities. Then from 2021, there was a rapid boom in demand for energy storage, especially in markets like the US and China.
#hank
Today, CATL stands as one of the world's largest grid storage suppliers, powering megaprojects such as Synergy's 2.4GW-hour (GWh) Collie Battery in Australia and the 1.4GWh Gemini Solar-Plus-Storage project in Nevada, US.
In an exclusive interview with Power Technology, CATL's managing director of Western Europe, Hank Zhao, and chief technology officer of AC (alternating current) systems, Bruce Li, share how they translate learnings from the company's automotive history to its stationary storage unit. They also discuss the operational realities of energy storage leadership, executive decision-making in a fast-changing industry, and bridging the gap between Chinese technology and European markets.
Hank Zhao (HZ): I joined the company's EV business in 2010 and stayed there for 11 years before moving to the energy storage unit in mid-2021.
When the company was founded, it started with e-mobility and stationary storage as its two main business directions. But I think before 2020, the business scale of storage was much smaller than for EVs, and we didn't see as many opportunities. Then from 2021, there was a rapid boom in demand for energy storage, especially in markets like the US and China.
#hank
2 months ago
Palladyne AI reported headline growth that looks dramatic: second-quarter revenue rose 470% year over year and 63% sequentially to $5.783 million. Palladyne AI Corp. (NASDAQ:PDYN) ended June with $24.6 million of backlog, up 43% during the quarter after roughly $13 million of new contract awards, net of revenue recognized. Management expects most of that backlog to become revenue over the next 12 to 18 months and reiterated 2026 revenue guidance of $24 million to $27 million, or 357% to 415% growth.
Copyright: ralwel / 123RF Stock Photo
The comparison needs an important qualification. Palladyne said the increase came from acquisitions as well as organic growth. Its 10-Q says second-quarter product revenue was derived mainly from businesses acquired in November 2025, while engineering-services revenue came from one acquired business. Revenue consisted of hardware products, development contracts, and engineering services; the filing explicitly says Palladyne had generated no software-product revenue to date. The quarter therefore does not yet demonstrate scaled sales of its proprietary autonomy software.
The bull case is that backlog and defense awards provide a bridge to that commercialization. Programs involving SwarmOS, Gremlin-X, BRAIN flight computers, and Air Force development work may deepen customer relationships. But award values do not become revenue immediately, and fixed-price development work can produce weak margins if actual costs exceed estimates. Palladyne separately put total estimated contract value at $30.9 million, but that broader figure includes unexercised options and should not be confused with firm backlog.
The loss profile remains severe. Operating loss widened to $13.413 million from $8.094 million a year earlier, and net loss reached $12.326 million. Palladyne held $33.774 million of cash and equivalents plus $9.972 million of marketable securities, totaling $43.746 million. Its reiterated full-year operating-cash-burn outlook was $32 million to $36 million; the company defines that measure as operating cash used plus capital expenditures.
#million #palladyne #quarter
Copyright: ralwel / 123RF Stock Photo
The comparison needs an important qualification. Palladyne said the increase came from acquisitions as well as organic growth. Its 10-Q says second-quarter product revenue was derived mainly from businesses acquired in November 2025, while engineering-services revenue came from one acquired business. Revenue consisted of hardware products, development contracts, and engineering services; the filing explicitly says Palladyne had generated no software-product revenue to date. The quarter therefore does not yet demonstrate scaled sales of its proprietary autonomy software.
The bull case is that backlog and defense awards provide a bridge to that commercialization. Programs involving SwarmOS, Gremlin-X, BRAIN flight computers, and Air Force development work may deepen customer relationships. But award values do not become revenue immediately, and fixed-price development work can produce weak margins if actual costs exceed estimates. Palladyne separately put total estimated contract value at $30.9 million, but that broader figure includes unexercised options and should not be confused with firm backlog.
The loss profile remains severe. Operating loss widened to $13.413 million from $8.094 million a year earlier, and net loss reached $12.326 million. Palladyne held $33.774 million of cash and equivalents plus $9.972 million of marketable securities, totaling $43.746 million. Its reiterated full-year operating-cash-burn outlook was $32 million to $36 million; the company defines that measure as operating cash used plus capital expenditures.
#million #palladyne #quarter
2 months ago
Updated Aug 26, 2026, 11:27 am EDT / Original Aug 26, 2026, 8:02 am EDT
Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch
ANF
+37.90%
rose sharply Wednesday after the clothing retailer’s fiscal second-quarter earnings and profit outlook came in above expectations even as sale-store sales remained under pressure.
ANF
+37.90%
Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
#original #fitch #company #reserved
Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch
ANF
+37.90%
rose sharply Wednesday after the clothing retailer’s fiscal second-quarter earnings and profit outlook came in above expectations even as sale-store sales remained under pressure.
ANF
+37.90%
Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
#original #fitch #company #reserved
2 months ago
Alibaba's net income collapsed 75% as capex surged 75%, swinging free cash flow to a 45 billion yuan outflow last quarter.
Burry exited Alibaba for JD.com months ago and says the stock must fall another 50% before he'd consider buying again.
Alibaba is raising $10.2 billion through a 3.7% dilutive share sale while insider purchases by Tsai and Wu totaled just $15 million.
Act now: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Alibaba didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
The AI spending boom has created an uncomfortable split in technology stocks. Investors are willing to reward companies that can turn massive infrastructure investments into recurring revenue, but they are becoming less forgiving when those investments crush profits and cash flow first.
#flow #burry #tsai
Burry exited Alibaba for JD.com months ago and says the stock must fall another 50% before he'd consider buying again.
Alibaba is raising $10.2 billion through a 3.7% dilutive share sale while insider purchases by Tsai and Wu totaled just $15 million.
Act now: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Alibaba didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
The AI spending boom has created an uncomfortable split in technology stocks. Investors are willing to reward companies that can turn massive infrastructure investments into recurring revenue, but they are becoming less forgiving when those investments crush profits and cash flow first.
#flow #burry #tsai
2 months ago
Investors in Home Depot (HD) stock were greeted by a surprise on Tuesday when CEO Ted Decker said he was taking a brief medical leave that will last a few months. The timing comes only days before the home improvement behemoth releases fiscal second-quarter results on Aug. 18.
But there is a key nuance here for investors. Decker has not resigned, and Home Depot has put in place two very experienced executives to split Decker's duties. Ann-Marie Campbell, senior executive vice president of U.S. stores and operations, will handle operations, while CFO Richard McPhail will handle finance and the company's Pro subsidiaries. For now, this looks more like a brief governance problem than a change to the underlying investment thesis on Home Depot.
Target Stock Is Near a 52-Week High and Wall Street Is Raising the Bar
Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today!
Next Tuesday's earnings report will also provide insight into housing affordability, consumer behavior, and demand for renovations.
#home #decker
But there is a key nuance here for investors. Decker has not resigned, and Home Depot has put in place two very experienced executives to split Decker's duties. Ann-Marie Campbell, senior executive vice president of U.S. stores and operations, will handle operations, while CFO Richard McPhail will handle finance and the company's Pro subsidiaries. For now, this looks more like a brief governance problem than a change to the underlying investment thesis on Home Depot.
Target Stock Is Near a 52-Week High and Wall Street Is Raising the Bar
Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today!
Next Tuesday's earnings report will also provide insight into housing affordability, consumer behavior, and demand for renovations.
#home #decker
