1 hr. ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission is considering a request by a conservative group to loosen rules on political robocalls, including those with artificial intelligence-generated voices, before November's midterm elections.
Federal law currently bans most robocalls to cellphones unless the caller gets consent beforehand. The petition calls for a waiver that would allow political groups to use artificial or prerecorded voices in unsolicited wireless calls.
The Republican-led FCC advanced the request for public comment and could rule on it as soon as late October.
Consumer advocacy groups warn the proposed change could trigger a surge of unwanted, partisan and potentially misleading automated calls in the critical final days of the election, which will determine which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.
The potential perils became evident two years ago during the presidential primary season when thousands of voters in New Hampshire received a robocall with an AI-generated voice of then-President Joe Biden. The call suggested voters should forgo casting a ballot in the primary and "save" their votes for the general election.
#federal #robocalls #artificial #generated
Federal law currently bans most robocalls to cellphones unless the caller gets consent beforehand. The petition calls for a waiver that would allow political groups to use artificial or prerecorded voices in unsolicited wireless calls.
The Republican-led FCC advanced the request for public comment and could rule on it as soon as late October.
Consumer advocacy groups warn the proposed change could trigger a surge of unwanted, partisan and potentially misleading automated calls in the critical final days of the election, which will determine which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.
The potential perils became evident two years ago during the presidential primary season when thousands of voters in New Hampshire received a robocall with an AI-generated voice of then-President Joe Biden. The call suggested voters should forgo casting a ballot in the primary and "save" their votes for the general election.
#federal #robocalls #artificial #generated
3 hours ago
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Credit: Netflix
Ben Affleck has spent so much of his adult life as tabloid fodder that some people probably know more about the alleged contents of his Dunkin' order than they do about some of his movies. Bennifer alone generated enough headlines for several lifetimes, and even relatively mundane activities tend to become internet events. Remember the Sad Affleck meme and those miserable-looking cigarette photos? Of course you do. Well, someone finally asked him about all that tabloid ink spilled on him and he's more candid than I'd ever have guessed.
During a new installment of GQ's One More Question, the outlet brought up one particularly bizarre stretch in early 2025, when the former Batman performer was simultaneously dealing with rumors that his home had burned in the Los Angeles fires and that the FBI had raided the property. His response was much more resigned than angry, as he explained:
I have them much less frequently now, which is nice, but there are still occasionally these strange flareups. At the time, there were both rumors that the FBI had raided my home and that my house had burned down. They can't both be true. It's like all these things, and then none of it turns out to be true, and ****** ody remembers it.
#much #affleck #true #credit
Credit: Netflix
Ben Affleck has spent so much of his adult life as tabloid fodder that some people probably know more about the alleged contents of his Dunkin' order than they do about some of his movies. Bennifer alone generated enough headlines for several lifetimes, and even relatively mundane activities tend to become internet events. Remember the Sad Affleck meme and those miserable-looking cigarette photos? Of course you do. Well, someone finally asked him about all that tabloid ink spilled on him and he's more candid than I'd ever have guessed.
During a new installment of GQ's One More Question, the outlet brought up one particularly bizarre stretch in early 2025, when the former Batman performer was simultaneously dealing with rumors that his home had burned in the Los Angeles fires and that the FBI had raided the property. His response was much more resigned than angry, as he explained:
I have them much less frequently now, which is nice, but there are still occasionally these strange flareups. At the time, there were both rumors that the FBI had raided my home and that my house had burned down. They can't both be true. It's like all these things, and then none of it turns out to be true, and ****** ody remembers it.
#much #affleck #true #credit
8 hours ago
Taylor Swift is reportedly generating nearly twice as much jersey search demand as her husband, Travis Kelce. This is according to a new study conducted across the US. The findings highlight how strongly Swift's connection to the NFL star continues to influence interest in football merchandise.
A new ******* ysis by Casino.guru found that searches for a "Taylor Swift jersey" account for around 77% of the search demand recorded for the most-searched NFL player jersey in the country. The figure would place Taylor Swift among the five most in-demand jersey searches if her name were compared directly with NFL players, the study said.
The research also found a notable gap between Swift and Travis Kelce. Searches for Swift's jersey were nearly twice as high as searches for Kelce's jersey across the US. "Search demand for Taylor Swift jerseys is also nearly twice as high as it is for husband Travis Kelce jerseys across the U.S.," Casino.guru data ******* yst Max Barlow wrote in the study. He added that the search volume would "place her inside the top five most in-demand jerseys if compared directly with NFL players."
According to the ******* ysis, Swift also generated more than twice the jersey interest of the state's leading NFL player, Jaxson Dart. However, the study measured online search volume to estimate potential sales interest rather than using audited retail sales figures.
The latest figures contrast sharply with the surge in Kelce's jersey sales after Swift attended one of his games in 2023. Swift watched Kelce play from a suite at Arrowhead Stadium on September 24, 2023. After her appearance, Fanatics told the ******* ociated Press that Kelce entered the NFL's top five jersey sellers. His merchandise sales jumped nearly 400% across Fanatics' sites, according to NPR. Before the surge, Kelce ranked around 19th among NFL jersey sellers.
#jersey #taylor #twice #travis
A new ******* ysis by Casino.guru found that searches for a "Taylor Swift jersey" account for around 77% of the search demand recorded for the most-searched NFL player jersey in the country. The figure would place Taylor Swift among the five most in-demand jersey searches if her name were compared directly with NFL players, the study said.
The research also found a notable gap between Swift and Travis Kelce. Searches for Swift's jersey were nearly twice as high as searches for Kelce's jersey across the US. "Search demand for Taylor Swift jerseys is also nearly twice as high as it is for husband Travis Kelce jerseys across the U.S.," Casino.guru data ******* yst Max Barlow wrote in the study. He added that the search volume would "place her inside the top five most in-demand jerseys if compared directly with NFL players."
According to the ******* ysis, Swift also generated more than twice the jersey interest of the state's leading NFL player, Jaxson Dart. However, the study measured online search volume to estimate potential sales interest rather than using audited retail sales figures.
The latest figures contrast sharply with the surge in Kelce's jersey sales after Swift attended one of his games in 2023. Swift watched Kelce play from a suite at Arrowhead Stadium on September 24, 2023. After her appearance, Fanatics told the ******* ociated Press that Kelce entered the NFL's top five jersey sellers. His merchandise sales jumped nearly 400% across Fanatics' sites, according to NPR. Before the surge, Kelce ranked around 19th among NFL jersey sellers.
#jersey #taylor #twice #travis
17 hours ago
AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) was trading at around $263 on October 5, up 14.18% over twelve months. Its payout ratio is 190.40%. The company distributes nearly twice what it reports as profit.
A dividend that large is either about to be cut or is being paid out of something the earnings line does not show.
READ ALSO: Here is Why Tripadvisor (TRIP) is a Bad Investment at Today's Price
AbbVie reported net income of $6.27 billion and generated $16.87 billion of free cash flow. Dividends are paid from the second number, so a ratio measured against the first is describing depressed earnings rather than a company living beyond its means.
The margins show what depresses them. Operating margin is 40.04%. Net margin is 9.80%. Thirty points vanish between those lines, and where they vanish matters. Costs that high sitting below the operating line are not the business failing to earn. They are the amortization of a drug portfolio AbbVie bought rather than discovered, plus interest on the debt that bought it.
#paid
A dividend that large is either about to be cut or is being paid out of something the earnings line does not show.
READ ALSO: Here is Why Tripadvisor (TRIP) is a Bad Investment at Today's Price
AbbVie reported net income of $6.27 billion and generated $16.87 billion of free cash flow. Dividends are paid from the second number, so a ratio measured against the first is describing depressed earnings rather than a company living beyond its means.
The margins show what depresses them. Operating margin is 40.04%. Net margin is 9.80%. Thirty points vanish between those lines, and where they vanish matters. Costs that high sitting below the operating line are not the business failing to earn. They are the amortization of a drug portfolio AbbVie bought rather than discovered, plus interest on the debt that bought it.
#paid
1 day ago
Before we get worried about recessions or market crashes, let's put a 10% drop in context. Going back to 1980, the S&P 500 has fallen 10% or more in roughly half of all calendar years, and a correction of that size has historically shown up about once every 12 to 18 months.
What makes a 10% decline packed into a single month unusual isn't the size of the drop, it's the speed: that kind of compressed move tends to show up during sudden shocks rather than the slower grind most corrections take. Even so, it's happened before, and the market has recovered every time.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
My goal here isn't to predict whether October brings one. It's to point to three consumer businesses whose underlying demand doesn't particularly care what the stock market does that month.
Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) makes Tide, Pampers, Crest, and Gillette. These products are the kind of household basics people buy again almost automatically, recession or not. That steadiness shows up in the numbers. P&G generated more than $87 billion in revenue in its 2026 fiscal year and returned over $15 billion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.
#market #flashing #every #month
What makes a 10% decline packed into a single month unusual isn't the size of the drop, it's the speed: that kind of compressed move tends to show up during sudden shocks rather than the slower grind most corrections take. Even so, it's happened before, and the market has recovered every time.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
My goal here isn't to predict whether October brings one. It's to point to three consumer businesses whose underlying demand doesn't particularly care what the stock market does that month.
Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) makes Tide, Pampers, Crest, and Gillette. These products are the kind of household basics people buy again almost automatically, recession or not. That steadiness shows up in the numbers. P&G generated more than $87 billion in revenue in its 2026 fiscal year and returned over $15 billion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.
#market #flashing #every #month
1 day ago
Google and Constellation Energy announced a 20-year power purchase agreement on Tuesday to bring 890 megawatts of new nuclear capacity onto the PJM Interconnection grid, with Constellation committing more than $4.3 billion to fund the build-out.
The capacity will be generated through turbine, steam generator, and digital control system upgrades at 11 Constellation nuclear units in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, the companies said. The first uprate is expected to be delivered by 2028. The agreement is expected to sustain roughly 4,400 existing jobs and create approximately 7,200 new construction jobs during the building period.
Alongside the power purchase agreement, the companies entered into a separate 15-year energy supply agreement covering an additional 2,700 megawatts from Constellation's existing fleet in the PJM market, the company said.
"We're committed to meeting our growth responsibly by actively investing in clean, reliable power that brings new capacity to our nation's grids," Amanda Peterson Corio, global head of energy and power at Google, said in a statement. "Our agreement with Constellation to fund nuclear reactor uprates will strengthen the PJM grid, which serves 67 million people, all while protecting energy affordability and supporting local union jobs."
Joe Dominguez, chairman, president and CEO of Constellation, said in a statement that the collaboration "can serve as a model for how technology companies and the energy industry can work together to responsibly develop the digital economy."
#energy #capacity #Jobs
The capacity will be generated through turbine, steam generator, and digital control system upgrades at 11 Constellation nuclear units in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, the companies said. The first uprate is expected to be delivered by 2028. The agreement is expected to sustain roughly 4,400 existing jobs and create approximately 7,200 new construction jobs during the building period.
Alongside the power purchase agreement, the companies entered into a separate 15-year energy supply agreement covering an additional 2,700 megawatts from Constellation's existing fleet in the PJM market, the company said.
"We're committed to meeting our growth responsibly by actively investing in clean, reliable power that brings new capacity to our nation's grids," Amanda Peterson Corio, global head of energy and power at Google, said in a statement. "Our agreement with Constellation to fund nuclear reactor uprates will strengthen the PJM grid, which serves 67 million people, all while protecting energy affordability and supporting local union jobs."
Joe Dominguez, chairman, president and CEO of Constellation, said in a statement that the collaboration "can serve as a model for how technology companies and the energy industry can work together to responsibly develop the digital economy."
#energy #capacity #Jobs
1 day ago
Meghan Markle is reportedly taking a strategic approach to As Ever's latest holiday launch after facing setbacks with previous products. The brand founder recently unveiled her first-ever Holiday Advent Calendar in collaboration with Compartés. Priced at $148, the festive box has reportedly generated excitement for Markle, though sources claim she is being particularly calculated with the new release.
Meghan Markle is reportedly "trying to be strategic" with the launch of As Ever's new Holiday Advent Calendar. The official As Ever page recently shared a photo of the festive box, captioning the post, "A little holiday magic is on its way. 24 days of sweet surprises, made for the joy of anticipation."
The Advent Calendar features 24 handcrafted chocolates housed in a designer box inspired by Markle's home and garden in Montecito. The holiday offering is a collaboration with Los Angeles-based chocolatier Compartes, with the chocolates incorporating flavors from As Ever's signature spreads, including strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and orange marmalade.
Each piece also features a countdown number written in Markle's handwriting and is hand-painted with edible gold **** er. For now, the Advent Calendar is available exclusively for pre-order. A source told Star Magazine that Markle is a fan of delicious, high-quality chocolate.
However, the source noted that advent calendars often contain chocolate that is not particularly high quality. With her latest offering, Markle allegedly believes she has created something "beautiful and festive."
#calendar #latest
Meghan Markle is reportedly "trying to be strategic" with the launch of As Ever's new Holiday Advent Calendar. The official As Ever page recently shared a photo of the festive box, captioning the post, "A little holiday magic is on its way. 24 days of sweet surprises, made for the joy of anticipation."
The Advent Calendar features 24 handcrafted chocolates housed in a designer box inspired by Markle's home and garden in Montecito. The holiday offering is a collaboration with Los Angeles-based chocolatier Compartes, with the chocolates incorporating flavors from As Ever's signature spreads, including strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and orange marmalade.
Each piece also features a countdown number written in Markle's handwriting and is hand-painted with edible gold **** er. For now, the Advent Calendar is available exclusively for pre-order. A source told Star Magazine that Markle is a fan of delicious, high-quality chocolate.
However, the source noted that advent calendars often contain chocolate that is not particularly high quality. With her latest offering, Markle allegedly believes she has created something "beautiful and festive."
#calendar #latest
4 days ago
An Arizona road rage killer will be resentenced after an appeals court ruled that an AI-generated video message from his dead victim was improperly aired in court.
Gabriel Paul Horcasitas was found guilty by a jury of shooting and killing Christopher Pelkey, 37, during a confrontation at a red light in 2021. He was sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
But his legal team appealed, arguing that the trial judge should not have allowed an AI video, created by Pelkey's family, to be shown in court ahead of last year's sentencing.
The Arizona Court of Appeals agreed, ruling that Horcasitas, 55, must be resentenced because the AI clip "crossed that line".
"Rather than document an event or recording a particular moment, the AI video presents a depiction of the victim and his thoughts created from the imaginings of the victim's sister," the court of appeals wrote on Wednesday.
#arizona #horcasitas #resentenced #created
Gabriel Paul Horcasitas was found guilty by a jury of shooting and killing Christopher Pelkey, 37, during a confrontation at a red light in 2021. He was sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
But his legal team appealed, arguing that the trial judge should not have allowed an AI video, created by Pelkey's family, to be shown in court ahead of last year's sentencing.
The Arizona Court of Appeals agreed, ruling that Horcasitas, 55, must be resentenced because the AI clip "crossed that line".
"Rather than document an event or recording a particular moment, the AI video presents a depiction of the victim and his thoughts created from the imaginings of the victim's sister," the court of appeals wrote on Wednesday.
#arizona #horcasitas #resentenced #created
17 days ago
On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)'s Google will invest at least €13 billion, or about $15.1 billion, in AI infrastructure in Finland over the next two years, its biggest European investment, including three new data centers and a 22-year deal for up to 50% of the output of one of Finland's two nuclear power plants. The agreement with Finnish utility Fortum is Google's first nuclear energy deal outside the United States, and Fortum's stock jumped as much as 15.5% on the news, its biggest gain in Europe that day.
Finland gives Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) a potentially more cost-efficient location for its expanding AI infrastructure. Google plans to invest at least €13 billion ($15.1 billion) in three new data centers and related infrastructure in Finland during 2027 and 2028. The country's cold climate can reduce the need for energy-intensive cooling. The investment will also help grid improvements, clean-energy projects and battery storage.
The 22-year nuclear power agreement gives Google greater control over a critical input for AI infrastructure. Google will purchase up to 50% of the electricity generated by Finland's Loviisa nuclear plant, providing a long-term source of low-carbon power for its data-center operations. The agreement also gives Fortum greater economic certainty to extend and upgrade the plant through 2050. Google and Fortum plan to explore more nuclear and renewable projects.
Alphabet has strong demand drivers that can justify investment in AI capacity. The firm has increased its 2026 global capital investment target to $195 billion-$205 billion as it seeks to capture growing AI computing demand. Google is using the additional infrastructure to support Gemini, Search, Maps, and YouTube. It gives Alphabet multiple major products through which it can monetize greater AI capacity over time.
The Finland project adds another major commitment to Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)'s already enormous AI spending program. Alphabet expects to spend $195 billion-$205 billion on capital investment globally in 2026. The Finnish project will require at least another €13 billion during 2027 and 2028. Investors need Alphabet to make enough incremental revenue and cash flow from AI services to justify an infrastructure buildout that is rapidly increasing the company's capital requirements.
#billion #Google #investment #googl
Finland gives Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) a potentially more cost-efficient location for its expanding AI infrastructure. Google plans to invest at least €13 billion ($15.1 billion) in three new data centers and related infrastructure in Finland during 2027 and 2028. The country's cold climate can reduce the need for energy-intensive cooling. The investment will also help grid improvements, clean-energy projects and battery storage.
The 22-year nuclear power agreement gives Google greater control over a critical input for AI infrastructure. Google will purchase up to 50% of the electricity generated by Finland's Loviisa nuclear plant, providing a long-term source of low-carbon power for its data-center operations. The agreement also gives Fortum greater economic certainty to extend and upgrade the plant through 2050. Google and Fortum plan to explore more nuclear and renewable projects.
Alphabet has strong demand drivers that can justify investment in AI capacity. The firm has increased its 2026 global capital investment target to $195 billion-$205 billion as it seeks to capture growing AI computing demand. Google is using the additional infrastructure to support Gemini, Search, Maps, and YouTube. It gives Alphabet multiple major products through which it can monetize greater AI capacity over time.
The Finland project adds another major commitment to Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)'s already enormous AI spending program. Alphabet expects to spend $195 billion-$205 billion on capital investment globally in 2026. The Finnish project will require at least another €13 billion during 2027 and 2028. Investors need Alphabet to make enough incremental revenue and cash flow from AI services to justify an infrastructure buildout that is rapidly increasing the company's capital requirements.
#billion #Google #investment #googl
17 days ago
On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) is recalling 201,976 Jeep vehicles in the U.S., including certain Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models. It happened after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found a software error that can prevent the tire-pressure monitoring system from detecting low tire pressure or alerting the driver, raising crash risk.
Dealers will update the affected radio-frequency hub software free of charge. The recall is the latest in a year that has already included a 1.5-million-vehicle Ram seat-belt recall, a 955,000-vehicle camera-glitch recall in August, and more than 1 million Wranglers and Gladiators recalled in June for fire risk.
The recall should carry a relatively limited direct financial burden because Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) can fix the defect with a software update. The recall covers 201,976 Jeep vehicles, but Stellantis does not need to replace a physical component. A software-based remedy should reduce parts and labor costs and allow dealers to complete the repair relatively quickly, limiting the recall's immediate impact on earnings and cash flow.
Stellantis has already begun rebuilding its financial performance, giving investors a stronger foundation to absorb another recall. Second-quarter net profit reached €293 million compared with a €1.87 billion loss a year earlier. Revenue surged 13% to €43.5 billion. The business also generated €1 billion in industrial free cash flow during the quarter, showing real improvement as CEO Antonio Filosa executes his turnaround plan.
Strong North American demand shows the recall has not yet undermined demand for Stellantis' key Jeep and Ram products. Second-quarter North American shipments increased 38% to 445,000 vehicles. It was backed up by refreshed models, including the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee and the Ram 1500. So the company enters this recall with improving volumes and strong demand for several of the brands that matter most to its North American turnaround.
#software
Dealers will update the affected radio-frequency hub software free of charge. The recall is the latest in a year that has already included a 1.5-million-vehicle Ram seat-belt recall, a 955,000-vehicle camera-glitch recall in August, and more than 1 million Wranglers and Gladiators recalled in June for fire risk.
The recall should carry a relatively limited direct financial burden because Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) can fix the defect with a software update. The recall covers 201,976 Jeep vehicles, but Stellantis does not need to replace a physical component. A software-based remedy should reduce parts and labor costs and allow dealers to complete the repair relatively quickly, limiting the recall's immediate impact on earnings and cash flow.
Stellantis has already begun rebuilding its financial performance, giving investors a stronger foundation to absorb another recall. Second-quarter net profit reached €293 million compared with a €1.87 billion loss a year earlier. Revenue surged 13% to €43.5 billion. The business also generated €1 billion in industrial free cash flow during the quarter, showing real improvement as CEO Antonio Filosa executes his turnaround plan.
Strong North American demand shows the recall has not yet undermined demand for Stellantis' key Jeep and Ram products. Second-quarter North American shipments increased 38% to 445,000 vehicles. It was backed up by refreshed models, including the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee and the Ram 1500. So the company enters this recall with improving volumes and strong demand for several of the brands that matter most to its North American turnaround.
#software
17 days ago
On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that AI music startup Suno launched a new suite of models, including its flagship v6 and exploratory v6-Wild, built in partnership with Warner Music Group Corp. (NASDAQ:WMG) and BMG. It lets users make new music inspired by licensed recordings from participating artists. The launch follows Warner Music's copyright lawsuit settlement with Suno in November 2025, under which artists and songwriters can opt in to have their names, voices, and compositions used in AI-generated music in exchange for compensation.
Warner Music Group Corp. (NASDAQ:WMG) can turn the Suno litigation dispute into a new licensing revenue opportunity. Suno has now launched its v6 models in partnership with Warner Music and BMG. It allows users to make music inspired by licensed works from participating artists. Warner previously sued Suno over copyright issues before reaching a licensing agreement. This gives the label a direct path to monetize AI-generated music rather than relying solely on litigation. The deal could create a new revenue stream as consumers increasingly adopt AI music tools.
Warner enters the AI-music market from a position of financial strength. The firm reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of $5.44 billion, up 9% year over year. Adjusted OIBDA increased 16% to $433 million, and its adjusted OIBDA margin expanded to 23.2%. Warner also said it had met or exceeded its financial targets for five consecutive quarters. That basic growth gives the company greater flexibility to invest in AI initiatives while using licensing agreements to add another potential growth driver to its existing streaming and publishing businesses.
Warner could help establish a more sustainable commercial model for AI-generated music. Suno said future products will include opt-in experiences that allow individual artists to participate and receive payment when users generate music around them. So Warner has an opportunity to help shape licensing and compensation practices as Spotify and other platforms develop their own AI-music products. If the industry increasingly adopts licensed models, Warner's large catalog and relationships with artists could solidify its negotiating position and create recurring AI-related revenue.
Suno's new licensing model does not eliminate the overall legal risks surrounding AI music. Warner Music Group Corp. (NASDAQ:WMG) has reached an agreement with Suno, but other copyright owners are challenging the firm's technology. Independent publisher Round Hill sued Suno in August, alleging that the company used copyrighted songs to train its AI system. Suno also faces separate litigation from Universal Music Group and Sony Music. Hence, lawsuits could increase legal costs and create uncertainty over the licensing framework that Warner hopes to monetize.
#music #licensing #corp #revenue
Warner Music Group Corp. (NASDAQ:WMG) can turn the Suno litigation dispute into a new licensing revenue opportunity. Suno has now launched its v6 models in partnership with Warner Music and BMG. It allows users to make music inspired by licensed works from participating artists. Warner previously sued Suno over copyright issues before reaching a licensing agreement. This gives the label a direct path to monetize AI-generated music rather than relying solely on litigation. The deal could create a new revenue stream as consumers increasingly adopt AI music tools.
Warner enters the AI-music market from a position of financial strength. The firm reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of $5.44 billion, up 9% year over year. Adjusted OIBDA increased 16% to $433 million, and its adjusted OIBDA margin expanded to 23.2%. Warner also said it had met or exceeded its financial targets for five consecutive quarters. That basic growth gives the company greater flexibility to invest in AI initiatives while using licensing agreements to add another potential growth driver to its existing streaming and publishing businesses.
Warner could help establish a more sustainable commercial model for AI-generated music. Suno said future products will include opt-in experiences that allow individual artists to participate and receive payment when users generate music around them. So Warner has an opportunity to help shape licensing and compensation practices as Spotify and other platforms develop their own AI-music products. If the industry increasingly adopts licensed models, Warner's large catalog and relationships with artists could solidify its negotiating position and create recurring AI-related revenue.
Suno's new licensing model does not eliminate the overall legal risks surrounding AI music. Warner Music Group Corp. (NASDAQ:WMG) has reached an agreement with Suno, but other copyright owners are challenging the firm's technology. Independent publisher Round Hill sued Suno in August, alleging that the company used copyrighted songs to train its AI system. Suno also faces separate litigation from Universal Music Group and Sony Music. Hence, lawsuits could increase legal costs and create uncertainty over the licensing framework that Warner hopes to monetize.
#music #licensing #corp #revenue
17 days ago
Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE) garnered significant investor attention after it unveiled a new 800V DC-native fuel-cell power architecture on September 16, designed to supply continuous direct current to the next generation of AI data centers.
These solid-oxide fuel cells can generate continuous 800V DC power natively, rather than producing AC power that then has to be converted into DC that AI computing equipment ultimately consumes. This potentially removes several conversion stages, such as transformers and switchgear, thus lowering capital cost and energy losses.
Bloom claims that its technology can cut non-compute capital expenditures for a 1 GW data center by $3.6 billion, or 27%, and lower five-year total cost of ownership by $5.5 billion, or 9%, compared to traditional AC-based infrastructure.
With this technology, Bloom Energy is targeting one of the biggest bottlenecks in the ongoing AI boom – securing large amounts of reliable power quickly and economically. If 800V DC becomes widely adopted across AI data centers, the company will benefit not only from the soaring power demand, but also from a broader shift in how that power is generated and delivered.
Bloom Energy pointed to Nvidia's planned adoption of 800V DC architecture beginning with Rubin Ultra and Kyber systems as an indication of where data center power infrastructure is heading. In its 2026 Mid-Year Data Center Power Report, Bloom claimed that data center leaders expect DC-based architectures to account for 58% of new deployments by 2030, potentially creating a significant market for technologies designed around direct-current power delivery.
#energy #architecture
These solid-oxide fuel cells can generate continuous 800V DC power natively, rather than producing AC power that then has to be converted into DC that AI computing equipment ultimately consumes. This potentially removes several conversion stages, such as transformers and switchgear, thus lowering capital cost and energy losses.
Bloom claims that its technology can cut non-compute capital expenditures for a 1 GW data center by $3.6 billion, or 27%, and lower five-year total cost of ownership by $5.5 billion, or 9%, compared to traditional AC-based infrastructure.
With this technology, Bloom Energy is targeting one of the biggest bottlenecks in the ongoing AI boom – securing large amounts of reliable power quickly and economically. If 800V DC becomes widely adopted across AI data centers, the company will benefit not only from the soaring power demand, but also from a broader shift in how that power is generated and delivered.
Bloom Energy pointed to Nvidia's planned adoption of 800V DC architecture beginning with Rubin Ultra and Kyber systems as an indication of where data center power infrastructure is heading. In its 2026 Mid-Year Data Center Power Report, Bloom claimed that data center leaders expect DC-based architectures to account for 58% of new deployments by 2030, potentially creating a significant market for technologies designed around direct-current power delivery.
#energy #architecture
17 days ago
Interested in Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better.
Auvelity remains Axsome's main growth driver: It generated more than $180 million of the company's $218.4 million in second-quarter revenue, while its new Alzheimer's disease agitation indication is supported by an expanded sales force of more than 600 representatives.
The commercial portfolio is expanding: Sunosi continues to grow, and SYMBRAVO revenue increased 30% sequentially in the second quarter as Axsome expanded its migraine sales team.
Pipeline and finances are strengthening: Axsome has several late-stage programs and upcoming clinical milestones, ended the quarter with $320 million in cash, and said it is approaching cash-flow positivity.
Biotech Is Heating Up—These 2 Red-Hot Stocks Stand Out
#second
Auvelity remains Axsome's main growth driver: It generated more than $180 million of the company's $218.4 million in second-quarter revenue, while its new Alzheimer's disease agitation indication is supported by an expanded sales force of more than 600 representatives.
The commercial portfolio is expanding: Sunosi continues to grow, and SYMBRAVO revenue increased 30% sequentially in the second quarter as Axsome expanded its migraine sales team.
Pipeline and finances are strengthening: Axsome has several late-stage programs and upcoming clinical milestones, ended the quarter with $320 million in cash, and said it is approaching cash-flow positivity.
Biotech Is Heating Up—These 2 Red-Hot Stocks Stand Out
#second
17 days ago
For custom chip designer Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), the debate is all about whether the demand for AI products will sustain and grow. It is among the few firms capable of designing custom AI chips that big technology firms rely on to supplement NVIDIA's high-power and expensive AI chips. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's latest remarks about the need to slow down AI development due to safety concerns have generated quite a buzz, and Cramer discussed what Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO)'s CEO told him when asked about AI infrastructure development losing traction:
"What's refuted by Hock Tan, of course, maybe Hock Tan is one of the biggest providers of semis, other than NVIDIA, and when I asked him about, give me a prediction about the AI slowdown, would there be one, he said, not in the least. We see the demand for compute infrastructure for development of AI and inference as extremely strong and durable. So I know those stocks were the most heavily hammered, other than the fiber stocks. But David, when you listen to what Hock Tan said last night on Mad Money, you are inclined to do buying.
"I think David, you recognize, and a lot of people don't, when you're speaking about Hock Tan, whom I had on, you're talking about a 1.6 trillion dollar company. This isn't just someone. . .worried about what orders are going to be. . .this man has more orders than almost anybody other than Jensen Huang. So I think Carl, when we get very, very negative we still have to rely on the facts And the facts do not support there are some people who are very worried about mankind, I did not get the mankind worry when I spoke yesterday."
The CNBC TV host's remarks about Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) sit right at the center of the debate for the firm. This debate is about whether it will be able to continue to capture additional orders for custom AI chips. Looking at the third quarter earnings, released on September 2nd, the growth narrative appears to be quite strong.
It boosts Cramer's claims of Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) experiencing strong orders, as during the quarter, the firm's revenue grew by 86%, AI semiconductor revenue jumped by 221% and fiscal year 2026 guidance implied 186% annual AI revenue growth. Not to mention, CEO Tan reaffirmed that Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) could pull in $115 billion in annual AI chip sales in 2027 and a whopping $230 billion in 2028.
#orders #debate #strong
"What's refuted by Hock Tan, of course, maybe Hock Tan is one of the biggest providers of semis, other than NVIDIA, and when I asked him about, give me a prediction about the AI slowdown, would there be one, he said, not in the least. We see the demand for compute infrastructure for development of AI and inference as extremely strong and durable. So I know those stocks were the most heavily hammered, other than the fiber stocks. But David, when you listen to what Hock Tan said last night on Mad Money, you are inclined to do buying.
"I think David, you recognize, and a lot of people don't, when you're speaking about Hock Tan, whom I had on, you're talking about a 1.6 trillion dollar company. This isn't just someone. . .worried about what orders are going to be. . .this man has more orders than almost anybody other than Jensen Huang. So I think Carl, when we get very, very negative we still have to rely on the facts And the facts do not support there are some people who are very worried about mankind, I did not get the mankind worry when I spoke yesterday."
The CNBC TV host's remarks about Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) sit right at the center of the debate for the firm. This debate is about whether it will be able to continue to capture additional orders for custom AI chips. Looking at the third quarter earnings, released on September 2nd, the growth narrative appears to be quite strong.
It boosts Cramer's claims of Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) experiencing strong orders, as during the quarter, the firm's revenue grew by 86%, AI semiconductor revenue jumped by 221% and fiscal year 2026 guidance implied 186% annual AI revenue growth. Not to mention, CEO Tan reaffirmed that Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) could pull in $115 billion in annual AI chip sales in 2027 and a whopping $230 billion in 2028.
#orders #debate #strong
18 days ago
Investing in high-yield dividend stocks can be a solid portfolio move and give investors some nice supplemental income. However, not all dividend stocks are created equal. Two dividend stocks I'd be buying now are Energy Transfer (NYSE: ET) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ), while one I would avoid is Pfizer (NYSE: PFE).
Let's take a closer look at each, starting with why I'd avoid investing in Pfizer.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our **** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
At one point, Pfizer was as blue chip of a pharmaceutical company as there was. However, the stock's 6.2% yield and cheap valuation reflect a company facing challenges ahead.
Pfizer took on significant debt when it acquired Seagen for $43 billion in December 2023 to strengthen its oncology portfolio. That has left the company with over $60 billion in debt and high interest expenses. The company paid out $9.7 billion in dividends last year while generating $9.1 billion in free cash flow, so it paid out more in dividends than it generated in cash. That has continued through the first six months of 2026.
#NYSE #stocks #missed #high
Let's take a closer look at each, starting with why I'd avoid investing in Pfizer.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our **** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
At one point, Pfizer was as blue chip of a pharmaceutical company as there was. However, the stock's 6.2% yield and cheap valuation reflect a company facing challenges ahead.
Pfizer took on significant debt when it acquired Seagen for $43 billion in December 2023 to strengthen its oncology portfolio. That has left the company with over $60 billion in debt and high interest expenses. The company paid out $9.7 billion in dividends last year while generating $9.1 billion in free cash flow, so it paid out more in dividends than it generated in cash. That has continued through the first six months of 2026.
#NYSE #stocks #missed #high
18 days ago
One of the world's largest companies has become a cash-return machine of historic scale, but its engine is now facing a serious test.
With Apple (AAPL) stock trading near $337 a share, an owner might ask a simple question. The company has returned a fortune in cash while the stock has dramatically outperformed the market; was holding worth it, and can this machine keep running?
Over the last five years, Apple sent $510.4 billion in cash back to its shareholders. That sum, equal to about 10.3% of the company's current market value, is the largest capital return of any U.S. company Trefis tracks over that period. The question is what that extraordinary payout says about the business today.
The money printer is Apple's core business, which generated $136.68 billion in free cash flow over the last twelve months. In its most recent quarter, the company reported record June-quarter revenue, with iPhone sales growing 22% and Mac sales growing an impressive 29% from a year ago. Management noted that the iPhone and Mac were "both doing remarkably better than we thought they would do."
That operational strength funds the shareholder returns. The five-year payout was heavily weighted toward share repurchases, which totaled $434.5 billion, with another $75.9 billion paid in dividends. Apple's absolute dollar payout stands alone, even though the 10.3% of market value it returned sits well below the 16.9% median for S&P 500 companies.
#market
With Apple (AAPL) stock trading near $337 a share, an owner might ask a simple question. The company has returned a fortune in cash while the stock has dramatically outperformed the market; was holding worth it, and can this machine keep running?
Over the last five years, Apple sent $510.4 billion in cash back to its shareholders. That sum, equal to about 10.3% of the company's current market value, is the largest capital return of any U.S. company Trefis tracks over that period. The question is what that extraordinary payout says about the business today.
The money printer is Apple's core business, which generated $136.68 billion in free cash flow over the last twelve months. In its most recent quarter, the company reported record June-quarter revenue, with iPhone sales growing 22% and Mac sales growing an impressive 29% from a year ago. Management noted that the iPhone and Mac were "both doing remarkably better than we thought they would do."
That operational strength funds the shareholder returns. The five-year payout was heavily weighted toward share repurchases, which totaled $434.5 billion, with another $75.9 billion paid in dividends. Apple's absolute dollar payout stands alone, even though the 10.3% of market value it returned sits well below the 16.9% median for S&P 500 companies.
#market
18 days ago
SailPoint Inc. (NASDAQ:SAIL), a leading player within the enterprise identity security ****** e, recently expanded its strategic alliance with CrowdStrike. As part of the revised arrangement, the company's SailPoint SecOps Identity Intelligence will be integrated with CrowdStrike Falcon Next-Gen SIEM. This will help in expediting threat detection procedures, and will also incorporate access data and identity governance into the overall investigation process. The expanded partnership will facilitate security teams in lining up the identity insights with Falcon's existing security telemetry.
Copyright: franckito / 123RF Stock Photo
The announcement aligns strongly with SailPoint's broader strategic narrative revealed in its Q2 FY27 print. It builds upon several recent initiatives undertaken by the management, such as introduction of the SailPoint Identity Security solution. This is aimed toward integrating SailPoint Agentic Fabric with SailPoint Human Fabric for real-time discovery and security of complex digital ecosystems. The company also launched its Cursor Enterprise connector, which helps organizations to leverage a highly-integrated control plane to manage human developers and autonomous AI agents.
The recently released financials also back this narrative as the company delivered a 25% year-over-year growth in its annual recurring revenue, which stood at $1.231 billion. SailPoint generated $45 million in operating cash flow during the second quarter, along with $37 million in free cash flow.
By weaving SailPoint's identity intelligence into Falcon Next-Gen SIEM, customers gain extra context inside workflows they already rely on, making it easier to probe identity-related risks. The integration augments SailPoint's position at a time when identity threats are on a rise. This leads to an opportunity for SailPoint to cement itself as a leading provider of advanced security solutions.
#sailpoint #falcon #next
Copyright: franckito / 123RF Stock Photo
The announcement aligns strongly with SailPoint's broader strategic narrative revealed in its Q2 FY27 print. It builds upon several recent initiatives undertaken by the management, such as introduction of the SailPoint Identity Security solution. This is aimed toward integrating SailPoint Agentic Fabric with SailPoint Human Fabric for real-time discovery and security of complex digital ecosystems. The company also launched its Cursor Enterprise connector, which helps organizations to leverage a highly-integrated control plane to manage human developers and autonomous AI agents.
The recently released financials also back this narrative as the company delivered a 25% year-over-year growth in its annual recurring revenue, which stood at $1.231 billion. SailPoint generated $45 million in operating cash flow during the second quarter, along with $37 million in free cash flow.
By weaving SailPoint's identity intelligence into Falcon Next-Gen SIEM, customers gain extra context inside workflows they already rely on, making it easier to probe identity-related risks. The integration augments SailPoint's position at a time when identity threats are on a rise. This leads to an opportunity for SailPoint to cement itself as a leading provider of advanced security solutions.
#sailpoint #falcon #next
18 days ago
Jim Cramer put Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) and Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) at the top of his technology stock list during the September 17 episode of Mad Money, as he said:
Yesterday, I said that people would buy tech. We got that in spades today. I continue to recommend the cybersecurity stocks, and I'd add Okta to the list because rogue agents cannot be stopped unless we can identify them first. That's Okta's job. I still think that Intel, as I tell club members, is the best stock in show, and Micron, number two… Both their products are in short supply. I just bought some Micron, candidly.
Intel Corporation's (NASDAQ:INTC) second-quarter revenue rose 25% year over year to $16.1 billion, while Data Center and AI revenue increased 59% to $6.3 billion. Intel Products generated $4.8 billion of operating income in the second quarter, up from $2.7 billion a year earlier, while Data Center and AI operating income increased $1.8 billion to $2.5 billion.
The company said client supply constraints are expected to ease in the second half of 2026, while industry-wide constraints affecting Data Center and AI products are expected to persist into 2027.
Micron Technology, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:MU) fiscal third-quarter GAAP operating margin reached 80.4%, up from 67.6% in the prior quarter and 23.3% a year earlier. Its non-GAAP operating margin was 81.2%. Operating cash flow reached $25.4 billion. The company also said DRAM inventories were "very tight and below 120 days."
#NASDAQ #operating #year #data
Yesterday, I said that people would buy tech. We got that in spades today. I continue to recommend the cybersecurity stocks, and I'd add Okta to the list because rogue agents cannot be stopped unless we can identify them first. That's Okta's job. I still think that Intel, as I tell club members, is the best stock in show, and Micron, number two… Both their products are in short supply. I just bought some Micron, candidly.
Intel Corporation's (NASDAQ:INTC) second-quarter revenue rose 25% year over year to $16.1 billion, while Data Center and AI revenue increased 59% to $6.3 billion. Intel Products generated $4.8 billion of operating income in the second quarter, up from $2.7 billion a year earlier, while Data Center and AI operating income increased $1.8 billion to $2.5 billion.
The company said client supply constraints are expected to ease in the second half of 2026, while industry-wide constraints affecting Data Center and AI products are expected to persist into 2027.
Micron Technology, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:MU) fiscal third-quarter GAAP operating margin reached 80.4%, up from 67.6% in the prior quarter and 23.3% a year earlier. Its non-GAAP operating margin was 81.2%. Operating cash flow reached $25.4 billion. The company also said DRAM inventories were "very tight and below 120 days."
#NASDAQ #operating #year #data
18 days ago
On September 16, Evolution Petroleum Corporation (NYSEAMERICAN:EPM) held its fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year 2026 earnings call, and the numbers told a story of a company climbing out of a rough patch. Revenue jumped 20% sequentially to $24.2 million as oil prices realized before hedge settlements shot up 49% year over year to $90.74 a barrel. Adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $6.5 million. After a bruising third quarter, the fourth quarter finally looked like the recovery management had promised investors back in May.
The fourth-quarter turnaround wasn't just about crude. NGL prices realized $32.49 a barrel, up 27% year over year, and because Evolution leaves its NGL production entirely unhedged, every dollar of that gain flowed straight through. That combination of higher liquids pricing, growing production, and the roll-off of a prior-period transportation adjustment at the Delhi Field pushed operating cash flow to $6.8 million in the quarter, nearly double the $3.5 million generated in the third quarter.
Behind the quarterly numbers sits a longer-term shift in how Evolution makes money. The company closed a roughly $16 million acquisition of mineral and royalty acreage in the Permian's Midland Basin after the fiscal year ended, adding about 3,420 net royalty acres and more than 200 barrels of oil equivalent per day of current production, all without Evolution spending a dime on development. That mirrors what's already happening in the SCOOP/STACK play, where fourth-quarter production climbed 14% year over year to 1,275 BOE per day while unit operating costs fell to $10.33 a barrel. Evolution also replaced more than 100% of the 2.6 million barrels of oil equivalent it produced during the year, ending fiscal 2026 with 27.2 million barrels of proved reserves, an outcome that matters directly to a dividend now in its 52nd consecutive quarter.
Not every part of the business bounced back. Average daily production fell 4% year over year to 6,901 barrels of oil equivalent per day, largely because the flush production from new Chaveroo wells that boosted last year's fourth quarter has since tapered off. Natural gas pricing remained the softest spot in the portfolio, especially at the Jonah Field, where CEO Kelly Loyd said "regional differentials have weighed on realizations" even as broader demand for gas keeps growing. CFO Ryan Stash noted that stronger oil and NGL results helped offset "continued weakness in natural gas realizations, particularly at Jonah."
#barrel
The fourth-quarter turnaround wasn't just about crude. NGL prices realized $32.49 a barrel, up 27% year over year, and because Evolution leaves its NGL production entirely unhedged, every dollar of that gain flowed straight through. That combination of higher liquids pricing, growing production, and the roll-off of a prior-period transportation adjustment at the Delhi Field pushed operating cash flow to $6.8 million in the quarter, nearly double the $3.5 million generated in the third quarter.
Behind the quarterly numbers sits a longer-term shift in how Evolution makes money. The company closed a roughly $16 million acquisition of mineral and royalty acreage in the Permian's Midland Basin after the fiscal year ended, adding about 3,420 net royalty acres and more than 200 barrels of oil equivalent per day of current production, all without Evolution spending a dime on development. That mirrors what's already happening in the SCOOP/STACK play, where fourth-quarter production climbed 14% year over year to 1,275 BOE per day while unit operating costs fell to $10.33 a barrel. Evolution also replaced more than 100% of the 2.6 million barrels of oil equivalent it produced during the year, ending fiscal 2026 with 27.2 million barrels of proved reserves, an outcome that matters directly to a dividend now in its 52nd consecutive quarter.
Not every part of the business bounced back. Average daily production fell 4% year over year to 6,901 barrels of oil equivalent per day, largely because the flush production from new Chaveroo wells that boosted last year's fourth quarter has since tapered off. Natural gas pricing remained the softest spot in the portfolio, especially at the Jonah Field, where CEO Kelly Loyd said "regional differentials have weighed on realizations" even as broader demand for gas keeps growing. CFO Ryan Stash noted that stronger oil and NGL results helped offset "continued weakness in natural gas realizations, particularly at Jonah."
#barrel
18 days ago
On August 6, APA Corporation (NASDAQ:APA) held its second-quarter earnings call, and one number stood out from the rest. The oil and gas producer is now holding its Permian oil production steady with four drilling rigs, half the eight it once estimated it would need. Adjusted production of 347,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day beat management's own guidance, free cash flow kept climbing, and the balance sheet is healing faster than planned. That combination is the story of the quarter.
APA raised its full-year US oil guidance to 123,000 barrels per day, up from an original 120,000, while holding its capital budget at $1.3 billion despite higher diesel and other input costs. Management also lifted its cost-savings target to $500 million in annualized run-rate savings by year-end, up from the $450 million goal it set at the start of the year.
That flexibility is showing up in cash flow. Free cash flow hit $738 million in the second quarter, pushing the first half of 2026 past $1.2 billion, which topped what APA generated in each of the past three full years. The company returned $189 million of that to shareholders through dividends and the repurchase of 2.8 million shares at an average price of $35.26, continuing a streak of returning at least 60% of free cash flow to investors every year since 2021.
The balance sheet is moving just as fast. Net debt stood at $3.3 billion at quarter-end after APA repaid $752 million of bonds in the first half, including $673 million in the second quarter alone, cutting total debt by $2.3 billion since the end of 2024 and lowering annualized interest expense by roughly $175 million. Management now expects to hit its $3 billion net debt target in 2027, well ahead of the three- to four-year window it laid out when the goal was first announced.
Further out, APA is building option value beyond its core Permian and Egypt ****** ets. It agreed to acquire Savant Alaska for $70 million, picking up an airstrip, a dock, and a pipeline connection into the Trans Alaska system to support two exploration wells planned for 2027. In Uruguay, ENI signed on as a partner in Block 6, funding a significant share of the first exploration well while APA keeps 60% ownership. In Suriname, the GranMorgu project remains on budget for first oil in mid-2028.
#billion
APA raised its full-year US oil guidance to 123,000 barrels per day, up from an original 120,000, while holding its capital budget at $1.3 billion despite higher diesel and other input costs. Management also lifted its cost-savings target to $500 million in annualized run-rate savings by year-end, up from the $450 million goal it set at the start of the year.
That flexibility is showing up in cash flow. Free cash flow hit $738 million in the second quarter, pushing the first half of 2026 past $1.2 billion, which topped what APA generated in each of the past three full years. The company returned $189 million of that to shareholders through dividends and the repurchase of 2.8 million shares at an average price of $35.26, continuing a streak of returning at least 60% of free cash flow to investors every year since 2021.
The balance sheet is moving just as fast. Net debt stood at $3.3 billion at quarter-end after APA repaid $752 million of bonds in the first half, including $673 million in the second quarter alone, cutting total debt by $2.3 billion since the end of 2024 and lowering annualized interest expense by roughly $175 million. Management now expects to hit its $3 billion net debt target in 2027, well ahead of the three- to four-year window it laid out when the goal was first announced.
Further out, APA is building option value beyond its core Permian and Egypt ****** ets. It agreed to acquire Savant Alaska for $70 million, picking up an airstrip, a dock, and a pipeline connection into the Trans Alaska system to support two exploration wells planned for 2027. In Uruguay, ENI signed on as a partner in Block 6, funding a significant share of the first exploration well while APA keeps 60% ownership. In Suriname, the GranMorgu project remains on budget for first oil in mid-2028.
#billion
18 days ago
Interested in Upexi, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better.
Upexi strengthened its balance sheet and cut costs by extinguishing about $20 million of debt, refinancing at a lower 7.5% interest rate and reducing its workforce to 10 employees from 59.
The company held approximately 2.34 million Solana tokens worth $165.3 million at June 30, with 95% staked; the treasury generated $17.4 million in digital-asset revenue but incurred $195.1 million in unrealized and $11.7 million in realized losses.
Fiscal-year net loss widened sharply to $246.1 million from $13.7 million, while stockholders' equity fell to negative $53.8 million, largely due to digital-asset losses, higher interest costs and stock-based compensation.
Upexi (NASDAQ:UPXI) said it strengthened its balance sheet, reduced operating expenses and continued to build its Solana treasury during fiscal 2026, though declines in digital-asset values drove a substantially wider full-year net loss.
#digital #Solana #strengthened #costs
Upexi strengthened its balance sheet and cut costs by extinguishing about $20 million of debt, refinancing at a lower 7.5% interest rate and reducing its workforce to 10 employees from 59.
The company held approximately 2.34 million Solana tokens worth $165.3 million at June 30, with 95% staked; the treasury generated $17.4 million in digital-asset revenue but incurred $195.1 million in unrealized and $11.7 million in realized losses.
Fiscal-year net loss widened sharply to $246.1 million from $13.7 million, while stockholders' equity fell to negative $53.8 million, largely due to digital-asset losses, higher interest costs and stock-based compensation.
Upexi (NASDAQ:UPXI) said it strengthened its balance sheet, reduced operating expenses and continued to build its Solana treasury during fiscal 2026, though declines in digital-asset values drove a substantially wider full-year net loss.
#digital #Solana #strengthened #costs
18 days ago
On September 7, 2026, Reuters reported that Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) halted two additional trials of its experimental cardiovascular drug ziltivekimab, further denting the Danish drugmaker's efforts to diversify beyond its blockbuster obesity and diabetes franchise.
The move follows a July disclosure that ziltivekimab failed to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in a late-stage trial. An independent data monitoring committee found a "low likelihood" that the two additional heart-failure studies would produce a different result from that earlier failure, prompting Novo to end them ahead of schedule.
Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) still has one opportunity to create value from its cardiovascular program. The company will continue testing ziltivekimab in patients recovering from a heart attack, with results expected in the first half of 2027. A successful outcome could give Novo another growth opportunity outside its obesity and diabetes franchise.
Novo's core obesity and diabetes business remains the much larger driver of its financial performance. The oral Wegovy pill has already generated more than 2 million prescriptions shortly after its January 2026 launch. It gives Novo an important growth opportunity as the company competes with Eli Lilly in the oral GLP-1 market.
The company can also preserve capital by ending trials that show limited prospects for success. An independent data monitoring committee found a low likelihood that the two heart-failure studies would produce different results from the earlier failed trial. Novo can redirect the resources it would have spent on those studies toward higher-potential programs.
#obesity #diabetes
The move follows a July disclosure that ziltivekimab failed to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in a late-stage trial. An independent data monitoring committee found a "low likelihood" that the two additional heart-failure studies would produce a different result from that earlier failure, prompting Novo to end them ahead of schedule.
Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) still has one opportunity to create value from its cardiovascular program. The company will continue testing ziltivekimab in patients recovering from a heart attack, with results expected in the first half of 2027. A successful outcome could give Novo another growth opportunity outside its obesity and diabetes franchise.
Novo's core obesity and diabetes business remains the much larger driver of its financial performance. The oral Wegovy pill has already generated more than 2 million prescriptions shortly after its January 2026 launch. It gives Novo an important growth opportunity as the company competes with Eli Lilly in the oral GLP-1 market.
The company can also preserve capital by ending trials that show limited prospects for success. An independent data monitoring committee found a low likelihood that the two heart-failure studies would produce different results from the earlier failed trial. Novo can redirect the resources it would have spent on those studies toward higher-potential programs.
#obesity #diabetes
19 days ago
Meta refused to remove a deepfake ad cloning Clark Howard's face to sell fraudulent insurance, telling him it meets their standards.
Meta earns nearly all of its $59 billion quarterly revenue from ads, giving automated systems little incentive to reject borderline content.
Credit cards are the only payment method offering strong fraud recovery; wire transfers, gift cards, and peer-to-peer payments are virtually unrecoverable.
Read More: Learn 7 secret wealth tips high net worth investors use that most investors miss (sponsor)
On his September 16 podcast, consumer advocate Clark Howard said an AI-generated Facebook ad cloning his face and voice is selling a fraudulent insurance product, and that the platform refuses to take it down.
#clark #face #fraudulent #insurance
Meta earns nearly all of its $59 billion quarterly revenue from ads, giving automated systems little incentive to reject borderline content.
Credit cards are the only payment method offering strong fraud recovery; wire transfers, gift cards, and peer-to-peer payments are virtually unrecoverable.
Read More: Learn 7 secret wealth tips high net worth investors use that most investors miss (sponsor)
On his September 16 podcast, consumer advocate Clark Howard said an AI-generated Facebook ad cloning his face and voice is selling a fraudulent insurance product, and that the platform refuses to take it down.
#clark #face #fraudulent #insurance
19 days ago
High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:HITI) reported record fiscal third-quarter revenue of C$198.8 million on September 14, up 33% year over year. Operating income increased 133% to C$8.7 million for the quarter ended July 31, 2026, yet net cash provided by operating activities slipped to C$10.1 million from C$10.7 million.
High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:HITI) generated C$11.9 million of operating cash flow before changes in non-cash working capital, up 44%. Working capital then absorbed C$1.8 million, compared with a C$2.4 million release a year earlier. That approximately C$4.2 million unfavorable swing outweighed the improvement before working-capital movements. The question is whether expansion will keep requiring a larger cash commitment.
High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:HITI) is translating sales growth into stronger operating profitability. Operating income represented approximately 4.4% of revenue, compared with 2.5% a year earlier. That improvement gives the business more room to absorb the costs of expansion.
High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:HITI) opened four Canadian stores and acquired four more during the quarter. Its German medical-cannabis subsidiary, Remexian, generated C$38.2 million in revenue, up from C$31.6 million sequentially. Remexian distributed 10.2 tonnes, a 35% sequential increase. Both markets offer opportunities to build sales across a larger operating base.
High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:HITI) also improved operating cash flow to C$4.4 million in the second quarter. For the first nine months, operating cash flow reached C$20.4 million versus C$19.6 million a year earlier. Those comparisons show that the quarterly year-over-year decline sits alongside improving cash generation over other periods.
#high
High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:HITI) generated C$11.9 million of operating cash flow before changes in non-cash working capital, up 44%. Working capital then absorbed C$1.8 million, compared with a C$2.4 million release a year earlier. That approximately C$4.2 million unfavorable swing outweighed the improvement before working-capital movements. The question is whether expansion will keep requiring a larger cash commitment.
High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:HITI) is translating sales growth into stronger operating profitability. Operating income represented approximately 4.4% of revenue, compared with 2.5% a year earlier. That improvement gives the business more room to absorb the costs of expansion.
High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:HITI) opened four Canadian stores and acquired four more during the quarter. Its German medical-cannabis subsidiary, Remexian, generated C$38.2 million in revenue, up from C$31.6 million sequentially. Remexian distributed 10.2 tonnes, a 35% sequential increase. Both markets offer opportunities to build sales across a larger operating base.
High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:HITI) also improved operating cash flow to C$4.4 million in the second quarter. For the first nine months, operating cash flow reached C$20.4 million versus C$19.6 million a year earlier. Those comparisons show that the quarterly year-over-year decline sits alongside improving cash generation over other periods.
#high
19 days ago
CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ:CSHR) reported approximately $27.6 million in net inflows for the first half of 2026, yet U.S. GAAP revenue fell 35.7% to $51.4 million from $80 million. The September 14 results show that attracting **** ets and restoring earnings are different challenges.
Asset Management revenue declined to $40 million from $59.6 million. CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ:CSHR) attributed that decline primarily to lower average **** ets under management (AUM) following weaker digital-asset prices. Product mix and a targeted fee reduction add another hurdle: the revenue generated by each dollar of **** ets.
Positive flows during a difficult market provide evidence of demand. The physically backed product platform generated approximately $155.9 million in net inflows during the half. That suggests CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ:CSHR) can attract capital even when market performance reduces the value of existing holdings.
CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ:CSHR) reported that AUM recovered to approximately $6.93 billion by August 31 from $5.52 billion at June 30. Whether that recovery restores fee revenue depends on average **** ets and product mix.
A broader product mix also has strategic value. Lower-fee products may reach customers who would otherwise invest elsewhere. For CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ:CSHR), accepting a lower fee can make economic sense if it secures durable **** ets at an attractive cost.
#revenue
Asset Management revenue declined to $40 million from $59.6 million. CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ:CSHR) attributed that decline primarily to lower average **** ets under management (AUM) following weaker digital-asset prices. Product mix and a targeted fee reduction add another hurdle: the revenue generated by each dollar of **** ets.
Positive flows during a difficult market provide evidence of demand. The physically backed product platform generated approximately $155.9 million in net inflows during the half. That suggests CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ:CSHR) can attract capital even when market performance reduces the value of existing holdings.
CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ:CSHR) reported that AUM recovered to approximately $6.93 billion by August 31 from $5.52 billion at June 30. Whether that recovery restores fee revenue depends on average **** ets and product mix.
A broader product mix also has strategic value. Lower-fee products may reach customers who would otherwise invest elsewhere. For CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ:CSHR), accepting a lower fee can make economic sense if it secures durable **** ets at an attractive cost.
#revenue
19 days ago
Logistic Properties of the Americas (NYSEAMERICAN:LPA) moved closer to selling Parque Logístico Lima Sur after Peru's antitrust authority, INDECOPI, approved the transaction on September 11. FIBRA Prime would acquire the entire 1.3-million-square-foot logistics park for $145 million. Customary administrative closing matters remain outstanding.
Management expects approximately $85 million of net proceeds after debt repayment and before taxes, with Mexico the intended destination. Approval advances the financing of that expansion, while the investment case rests on replacing an established income stream.
Lima Sur generated $10.3 million of cash net operating income, or cash NOI, during the 12 months ended March 31, 2026. Cash NOI is a company-defined non-IFRS measure of property income after operating expenses, adjusted to remove straight-line rental accounting. It excludes corporate overhead, financing costs, income taxes, and other non-property items.
Logistic Properties of the Americas (NYSEAMERICAN:LPA) has demonstrated an ability to develop, lease and operate logistics ***** ets. Second-quarter revenue increased 26.1% to $14.7 million, while stabilized portfolio occupancy reached 100% as of June 30.
Mexico already contributes revenue. Two properties acquired in Puebla in August 2025 generated approximately $0.5 million during the second quarter. That provides an operating foothold for deploying proceeds.
#cash #logistic #nyseamerican #Mexico
Management expects approximately $85 million of net proceeds after debt repayment and before taxes, with Mexico the intended destination. Approval advances the financing of that expansion, while the investment case rests on replacing an established income stream.
Lima Sur generated $10.3 million of cash net operating income, or cash NOI, during the 12 months ended March 31, 2026. Cash NOI is a company-defined non-IFRS measure of property income after operating expenses, adjusted to remove straight-line rental accounting. It excludes corporate overhead, financing costs, income taxes, and other non-property items.
Logistic Properties of the Americas (NYSEAMERICAN:LPA) has demonstrated an ability to develop, lease and operate logistics ***** ets. Second-quarter revenue increased 26.1% to $14.7 million, while stabilized portfolio occupancy reached 100% as of June 30.
Mexico already contributes revenue. Two properties acquired in Puebla in August 2025 generated approximately $0.5 million during the second quarter. That provides an operating foothold for deploying proceeds.
#cash #logistic #nyseamerican #Mexico
19 days ago
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) is increasingly confident it can reach a $100 billion annual revenue run rate by year-end. The company's CFO said there is now "even more conviction" around the target. A new AI hosting agreement worth $13 billion on an annualized basis adds significant support to that outlook and reflects how quickly ***** eX's compute business is scaling. But the financial picture behind that growth is less straightforward. The same AI division that management is relying on to help reach that target posted a $1.3 billion loss in the latest quarter alone. The loss wiped out what would have otherwise been a profitable quarter, while the company generated roughly negative $25 billion in free cash flow during the first half of 2026.
CFO Bret Johnsen said ***** eX has "even more conviction" that it can reach a $100 billion annual revenue run rate. The outlook is supported by a newly signed AI hosting agreement worth $1.11 billion per month beginning in December, or roughly $13 billion on an annualized basis. The company plans to end the year with a little over 2 gigawatts of terrestrial AI-computing capacity and scale to between 5 and 10 gigawatts in 2027. Orbital computing remains a longer-term option for overcoming power constraints. Its current agreements include a $6.7 billion cloud-services contract that is scheduled to ramp up in October. Existing arrangements with Google and Anthropic are worth more than $2 billion per month combined. Reaching the $100 billion target would require monthly revenue to more than triple from second-quarter's pace.
SpaceX's rocket and Starlink businesses generated roughly $1.1 billion in combined operating income in the second quarter. But the AI division's $1.3 billion loss more than wiped out that profit. The company also generated roughly negative $25 billion in free cash flow during the first half of 2026. The stock declined more than 5% after the second-quarter results despite a revenue beat.
The AI contract pipeline is clearly expanding and gaining momentum. However, the $100 billion target is a revenue run-rate measure rather than a profitability target. At the same time, the division driving this expansion remains the company's largest contributor to both both operating losses and capital spending, making the growth opportunity financially costly for now.
SpaceX had 119 hedge funds among its institutional holders at the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2026. Meanwhile, short interest stood at just 2.76% of float as of August 31, 2026. The ownership and the short interest figures show that institutional sentiment remains broadly constructive and toward the company's long-term outlook.
#roughly
CFO Bret Johnsen said ***** eX has "even more conviction" that it can reach a $100 billion annual revenue run rate. The outlook is supported by a newly signed AI hosting agreement worth $1.11 billion per month beginning in December, or roughly $13 billion on an annualized basis. The company plans to end the year with a little over 2 gigawatts of terrestrial AI-computing capacity and scale to between 5 and 10 gigawatts in 2027. Orbital computing remains a longer-term option for overcoming power constraints. Its current agreements include a $6.7 billion cloud-services contract that is scheduled to ramp up in October. Existing arrangements with Google and Anthropic are worth more than $2 billion per month combined. Reaching the $100 billion target would require monthly revenue to more than triple from second-quarter's pace.
SpaceX's rocket and Starlink businesses generated roughly $1.1 billion in combined operating income in the second quarter. But the AI division's $1.3 billion loss more than wiped out that profit. The company also generated roughly negative $25 billion in free cash flow during the first half of 2026. The stock declined more than 5% after the second-quarter results despite a revenue beat.
The AI contract pipeline is clearly expanding and gaining momentum. However, the $100 billion target is a revenue run-rate measure rather than a profitability target. At the same time, the division driving this expansion remains the company's largest contributor to both both operating losses and capital spending, making the growth opportunity financially costly for now.
SpaceX had 119 hedge funds among its institutional holders at the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2026. Meanwhile, short interest stood at just 2.76% of float as of August 31, 2026. The ownership and the short interest figures show that institutional sentiment remains broadly constructive and toward the company's long-term outlook.
#roughly
19 days ago
The intelligence report, circulated across the US military this spring in the midst of the war with Iran, immediately set off alarm bells: A Chinese ship in the Middle East was transporting components of a nuclear weapons program.
The US military swung into action with plans to intercept the vessel, according to four sources familiar with the episode. According to two of the sources, armed members of the US military were preparing to board the ship. Military planes were in the air, one of those sources and another source familiar with the incident said.
It was only just before the planned operation that officials dug deeper into the report put together by a special operations command ****** yst and found it had been generated with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) — and that a chatbot the ****** yst had used inaccurately identified the material the ship was carrying. CNN was not able to learn what the misidentified cargo was.
The report, according to one of the sources, was “entirely false.” But it also “almost started a war,” the source said. Any US operation against a Chinese vessel could have risked spiraling into an armed conflict between the two nations.
Across the US military and the intelligence community, officials are pushing to weave AI into nearly every facet of their work, from ****** yzing the huge volumes of raw intelligence the US collects and selecting targets for strikes, to more mundane applications like managing budgeting, logistics and supply chains.
#intelligence #ship #familiar
The US military swung into action with plans to intercept the vessel, according to four sources familiar with the episode. According to two of the sources, armed members of the US military were preparing to board the ship. Military planes were in the air, one of those sources and another source familiar with the incident said.
It was only just before the planned operation that officials dug deeper into the report put together by a special operations command ****** yst and found it had been generated with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) — and that a chatbot the ****** yst had used inaccurately identified the material the ship was carrying. CNN was not able to learn what the misidentified cargo was.
The report, according to one of the sources, was “entirely false.” But it also “almost started a war,” the source said. Any US operation against a Chinese vessel could have risked spiraling into an armed conflict between the two nations.
Across the US military and the intelligence community, officials are pushing to weave AI into nearly every facet of their work, from ****** yzing the huge volumes of raw intelligence the US collects and selecting targets for strikes, to more mundane applications like managing budgeting, logistics and supply chains.
#intelligence #ship #familiar
19 days ago
Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:FOXA) disclosed on September 9 that the U.S. Department of Justice issued a second request for information concerning the proposed acquisition of Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROKU). Cooperation with the review continues, and the expected closing remains in the first half of 2027, according to The Wall Street Journal.
A second request extends the premerger waiting period while regulators seek additional documents and data. For investors, the question is whether Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:FOXA) can preserve the acquisition's streaming benefits through a potentially longer review and any conditions attached to clearance.
The strategic fit centers on combining content with distribution. Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROKU) reaches more than 100 million households globally and would provide Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:FOXA) with an established connected-television platform, advertising technology and direct consumer relationships.
That reach could create additional opportunities to promote live news, sports and streaming services. For advertisers, a broader combination of content, audience data and campaign tools could make the combined offering more useful, provided integration improves targeting and measurement.
The commercial opportunity also extends beyond audience growth. Better advertising monetization and more efficient promotion of streaming services could improve the value generated from existing viewers. Household reach provides the starting point; advertising revenue, engagement and customer acquisition costs would determine the financial payoff.
#advertising #second #request #review
A second request extends the premerger waiting period while regulators seek additional documents and data. For investors, the question is whether Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:FOXA) can preserve the acquisition's streaming benefits through a potentially longer review and any conditions attached to clearance.
The strategic fit centers on combining content with distribution. Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROKU) reaches more than 100 million households globally and would provide Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:FOXA) with an established connected-television platform, advertising technology and direct consumer relationships.
That reach could create additional opportunities to promote live news, sports and streaming services. For advertisers, a broader combination of content, audience data and campaign tools could make the combined offering more useful, provided integration improves targeting and measurement.
The commercial opportunity also extends beyond audience growth. Better advertising monetization and more efficient promotion of streaming services could improve the value generated from existing viewers. Household reach provides the starting point; advertising revenue, engagement and customer acquisition costs would determine the financial payoff.
#advertising #second #request #review
20 days ago
For much of 2025, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) looked like a company under siege as higher medical costs and weaker margins rattled investors. UNH stock sold off sharply, and questions emerged around the company's earnings outlook as well as the health of its long-standing growth story.
That picture is starting to improve in 2026. UnitedHealth's latest results showed a clear turnaround in profitability as it generated $112 billion in revenue and $8 billion in earnings from operations. Management also raised the company's full-year adjusted EPS outlook to a range of $19.50 to $20 and increased its operating cash flow forecast to about $24 billion. Those moves suggest UnitedHealth sees its recovery as more than a short-term earnings rebound.
This High-Yield Construction Stock Just Raised Its Dividend by 40%
Dear Intuit Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for September 17
This Dividend Stock Is Beating the Market in 2026 and Yields 2.36%
#Stock #billion #Dividend #management
That picture is starting to improve in 2026. UnitedHealth's latest results showed a clear turnaround in profitability as it generated $112 billion in revenue and $8 billion in earnings from operations. Management also raised the company's full-year adjusted EPS outlook to a range of $19.50 to $20 and increased its operating cash flow forecast to about $24 billion. Those moves suggest UnitedHealth sees its recovery as more than a short-term earnings rebound.
This High-Yield Construction Stock Just Raised Its Dividend by 40%
Dear Intuit Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for September 17
This Dividend Stock Is Beating the Market in 2026 and Yields 2.36%
#Stock #billion #Dividend #management
