1 day ago
Thanks to the injunction that allowed class of 2022 athletes a 5th season of eligibility, Josh Reed decided to return to Penn State for the 2026-27 season.
A 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward, Reed spent last season in Happy Valley after spending his first three seasons at Cincinnati. With the Nittany Lions, Reed was one of the few bright spots during a feeble 2025-26 campaign, averaging 11.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1 SPG. He'll now be back for one more season, which is quite the coup for Penn State. Reed certainly isn't a star by any stretch, but he's a solid athlete with good size and good smarts. He can defend on the wing or in the post. Really, he's an ideal good glue who will absolutely get minutes — and likely start — just as he did last season.
If I had to guess the depth chart, it'll look something like this:
1: Dasante Bowen / Jay Rodgers
2: Roberts Blums / Francois Wibaut
3: Brant Byers / Francois Wibaut
4: Josh Reed / Roko Prokacin
5: Ivan Juric / Tim Oboh
For Penn State basketball, that's not too shabby of a roster. NCAA tournament worthy? Probably not. But I think a solid step in the right direction after last season.
#wibaut
A 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward, Reed spent last season in Happy Valley after spending his first three seasons at Cincinnati. With the Nittany Lions, Reed was one of the few bright spots during a feeble 2025-26 campaign, averaging 11.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1 SPG. He'll now be back for one more season, which is quite the coup for Penn State. Reed certainly isn't a star by any stretch, but he's a solid athlete with good size and good smarts. He can defend on the wing or in the post. Really, he's an ideal good glue who will absolutely get minutes — and likely start — just as he did last season.
If I had to guess the depth chart, it'll look something like this:
1: Dasante Bowen / Jay Rodgers
2: Roberts Blums / Francois Wibaut
3: Brant Byers / Francois Wibaut
4: Josh Reed / Roko Prokacin
5: Ivan Juric / Tim Oboh
For Penn State basketball, that's not too shabby of a roster. NCAA tournament worthy? Probably not. But I think a solid step in the right direction after last season.
#wibaut
1 day ago
Amazon's (NASDAQ: AMZN) second-quarter earnings had investors on edge, fixated above all else on the company's capital expenditure (capex) outlook. This figure came in at roughly $220 billion for the full year, a meaningful increase from the previously stated $200 billion. According to management, higher memory costs are driving the surge.
The question hanging over Amazon's financials is whether such heavy spending can still be justified. During the earnings call, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy made some comments that offer a pointed answer.
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 »
Heavy capital spending and free cash flow are linked by a simple accounting equation. Free cash flow equals cash generated from operations minus capital expenditures. When Amazon accelerates investment in data center infrastructure and servers, capex rises and free cash flow compresses.
In the trailing 12 months that ended with the second quarter, Amazon's free cash flow swung to an outflow of $7.6 billion. The swing was driven by a $66.1 billion year-over-year increase in property and equipment purchases, the bulk of which was tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure.
#NVIDIA
The question hanging over Amazon's financials is whether such heavy spending can still be justified. During the earnings call, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy made some comments that offer a pointed answer.
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 »
Heavy capital spending and free cash flow are linked by a simple accounting equation. Free cash flow equals cash generated from operations minus capital expenditures. When Amazon accelerates investment in data center infrastructure and servers, capex rises and free cash flow compresses.
In the trailing 12 months that ended with the second quarter, Amazon's free cash flow swung to an outflow of $7.6 billion. The swing was driven by a $66.1 billion year-over-year increase in property and equipment purchases, the bulk of which was tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure.
#NVIDIA
1 day ago
Emerald Wealth Partners, an independent ******* et and wealth management firm based in Zurich, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Focused Equity Strategy." A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Strategy reported a 0.8% gross return for the second quarter of 2026. Equity markets rallied after the first quarter's Iran shock faded and oil prices reversed their spike, but the advance remained narrow and concentrated in cyclical semiconductor and memory stocks benefiting from supply constraints. The letter warned that investors were treating peak-cycle earnings as durable, while FOMO, IPO demand, and a US cyclically adjusted P/E ratio near 40 pointed to late-cycle market behavior. Long-term fundamentals are currently undervalued by the market, leading to underperformance in the strategy, notably due to the portfolio's avoidance of low-quality momentum-driven semiconductor stocks, which boosted the benchmark this quarter. It remains focused on enterprise infrastructure, digital platforms, custom silicon, and networking businesses that hold customer relationships, workflow data, distribution, and efficiency advantages, which could allow them to monetize AI rather than be displaced by it. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy highlighted Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO). Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), a leading American company that designs and develops various semiconductor devices and infrastructure software solutions, contributed 64 bps to the strategy's performance during the quarter. On August 4, 2026, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) closed at $418.16 per share. One-month return of Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) was 7.58% and its shares gained 38.62% over the past 52 weeks. Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) has a market capitalization of $1.99 trillion.
Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) added 64 bps, its 22.3% share price climb helped by the news OpenAI has selected the company to design its custom inference chip. Broadcom is the dominant designer of custom AI silicon: it has long co-designed Google's Tensor Processing Units, which power Gemini and some of Anthropic's inference capacity through Google Cloud. Few companies possess the engineering depth to develop bespoke accelerators at hyperscale. AI spending is shifting from training models to running them, where custom chips deliver materially better performance per watt and a lower cost per token than Nvidia's general purpose GPUs. Under Hock Tan, one of the industry's ablest capital allocators, the company has ******* embled two further pillars that sit at the center of the AI buildout: It dominates the Ethernet switching silicon that interconnects AI clusters — content that grows with cluster size, whether those clusters run on Nvidia
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy highlighted Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO). Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), a leading American company that designs and develops various semiconductor devices and infrastructure software solutions, contributed 64 bps to the strategy's performance during the quarter. On August 4, 2026, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) closed at $418.16 per share. One-month return of Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) was 7.58% and its shares gained 38.62% over the past 52 weeks. Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) has a market capitalization of $1.99 trillion.
Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) added 64 bps, its 22.3% share price climb helped by the news OpenAI has selected the company to design its custom inference chip. Broadcom is the dominant designer of custom AI silicon: it has long co-designed Google's Tensor Processing Units, which power Gemini and some of Anthropic's inference capacity through Google Cloud. Few companies possess the engineering depth to develop bespoke accelerators at hyperscale. AI spending is shifting from training models to running them, where custom chips deliver materially better performance per watt and a lower cost per token than Nvidia's general purpose GPUs. Under Hock Tan, one of the industry's ablest capital allocators, the company has ******* embled two further pillars that sit at the center of the AI buildout: It dominates the Ethernet switching silicon that interconnects AI clusters — content that grows with cluster size, whether those clusters run on Nvidia
1 day ago
Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) has quickly established itself as one of Wall Street's hottest artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure plays. Riding the wave of surging enterprise AI spending, the AI cloud company has delivered triple-digit gains over the past year, fueled by explosive revenue growth, multibillion-dollar AI infrastructure deals, and soaring demand for its GPU-powered cloud platform. And now, the stock is back in focus. Piper Sandler recently initiated coverage on Nebius, just as investors gear up for a key catalyst on August 5.
The company is expected to provide an update on its Vineland AI data center, a flagship project that sits at the heart of its ambitious AI cloud expansion plans. The Vineland facility is designed to meet the rapidly accelerating demand for AI training and inference workloads. Investors will be closely watching for updates on construction progress, capacity, customer commitments, and the commercialization timeline, as the project's successful execution could significantly strengthen Nebius' long-term growth story.
Jeff Bezos Says He's Selling $1 Billion In Amazon Stock Every Year to Fund Blue Origin — 'It's The Most Important Work I'm Doing'
Apple's New CEO Is Bringing a Familiar Face Back From Retirement. The Shift Is Happening.
Nasdaq Futures Climb as Tech Rally Continues on Palantir Boost, U.S. JOLTS Report and ***** eX Earnings on Tap
#nebius #cloud #year
The company is expected to provide an update on its Vineland AI data center, a flagship project that sits at the heart of its ambitious AI cloud expansion plans. The Vineland facility is designed to meet the rapidly accelerating demand for AI training and inference workloads. Investors will be closely watching for updates on construction progress, capacity, customer commitments, and the commercialization timeline, as the project's successful execution could significantly strengthen Nebius' long-term growth story.
Jeff Bezos Says He's Selling $1 Billion In Amazon Stock Every Year to Fund Blue Origin — 'It's The Most Important Work I'm Doing'
Apple's New CEO Is Bringing a Familiar Face Back From Retirement. The Shift Is Happening.
Nasdaq Futures Climb as Tech Rally Continues on Palantir Boost, U.S. JOLTS Report and ***** eX Earnings on Tap
#nebius #cloud #year
1 day ago
Bloomin' Brands raised its full-year earnings guidance Wednesday after higher menu prices pushed second-quarter profit above ***** yst expectations. The owner of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar reported net income of $31.3 million, or 36 cents a share, for the quarter ended June 28, up from $25.4 million, or 30 cents a share, a year earlier.
Adjusted earnings per share came in at 39 cents. ***** ysts had expected 29 cents, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Total revenue rose 1.3% to $1.02 billion. ***** ysts had projected $1.00 billion.
U.S. comparable restaurant sales grew 2.3% in the quarter. Bonefish Grill posted the strongest gain among the company's chains, with an 8.1% increase. Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, and Fleming's each rose more than 1%. The company said revenue growth was driven by higher comparable restaurant sales, partially offset by net restaurant closures.
Higher menu prices lifted the per-guest tab, which the company said was the key driver of improved margins during the period. Spending on the Outback turnaround plan also declined during the period, contributing to lower general and administrative costs and a wider operating margin.
#cents #Share #restaurant
Adjusted earnings per share came in at 39 cents. ***** ysts had expected 29 cents, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Total revenue rose 1.3% to $1.02 billion. ***** ysts had projected $1.00 billion.
U.S. comparable restaurant sales grew 2.3% in the quarter. Bonefish Grill posted the strongest gain among the company's chains, with an 8.1% increase. Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, and Fleming's each rose more than 1%. The company said revenue growth was driven by higher comparable restaurant sales, partially offset by net restaurant closures.
Higher menu prices lifted the per-guest tab, which the company said was the key driver of improved margins during the period. Spending on the Outback turnaround plan also declined during the period, contributing to lower general and administrative costs and a wider operating margin.
#cents #Share #restaurant
1 day ago
Updated 2026년. 8월 5일 오후 9:12 New York 시간
Stocks lost some steam around midday after a morning rally, with the Nasdaq Composite retreating 0.8% the day.
The Dow industrials advanced 0.5%, or 263 points, to close at a record for the third straight day. The S&P 500 declined 0.2%.
SpaceX and Advanced Micro Devices both finished in negative territory. Elon Musk's rocket company beat Wall Street expectations last night but rattled investors by disclosing plans for massive AI spending. Its shares closed down 14%.
#composite #devices
Stocks lost some steam around midday after a morning rally, with the Nasdaq Composite retreating 0.8% the day.
The Dow industrials advanced 0.5%, or 263 points, to close at a record for the third straight day. The S&P 500 declined 0.2%.
SpaceX and Advanced Micro Devices both finished in negative territory. Elon Musk's rocket company beat Wall Street expectations last night but rattled investors by disclosing plans for massive AI spending. Its shares closed down 14%.
#composite #devices
1 day ago
Our ***** ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Revenue growth acceleration to 10% in constant currency was driven by the return of high-spending customers and record WOW membership levels following a prior-year data incident.
Management attributes the 8% Product Commerce growth to a 'blended' rate where the vast majority of spend has returned to record levels, while a minority cohort remains absent from the year-over-year comparison.
Current margin compression reflects a deliberate decision to maintain fixed costs and capacity sized for pre-incident demand trajectories to protect the long-term customer experience.
Supply chain efficiencies and volume-based savings are temporarily suppressed due to demand being below planned capacity, a dynamic management expects to reverse as volume grows into the network.
#levels #NVIDIA
Revenue growth acceleration to 10% in constant currency was driven by the return of high-spending customers and record WOW membership levels following a prior-year data incident.
Management attributes the 8% Product Commerce growth to a 'blended' rate where the vast majority of spend has returned to record levels, while a minority cohort remains absent from the year-over-year comparison.
Current margin compression reflects a deliberate decision to maintain fixed costs and capacity sized for pre-incident demand trajectories to protect the long-term customer experience.
Supply chain efficiencies and volume-based savings are temporarily suppressed due to demand being below planned capacity, a dynamic management expects to reverse as volume grows into the network.
#levels #NVIDIA
1 day ago
Our ******* ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Achieved record results across the platform driven by disciplined execution and a focus on investment performance, leading to record AUM of $485 billion.
Maintained industry leadership in realizations, returning $37 billion to clients over the past year, which management attributes to a proactive approach in a challenging market.
Repositioned the Capital Markets business over the last three years to capture higher transaction fees, creating a 'flywheel effect' as fund sizes and activity levels increase.
Launched a dedicated defense and industrials platform to capitalize on an estimated $8 trillion in global defense spending driven by geopolitical shifts.
#billion #tell
Achieved record results across the platform driven by disciplined execution and a focus on investment performance, leading to record AUM of $485 billion.
Maintained industry leadership in realizations, returning $37 billion to clients over the past year, which management attributes to a proactive approach in a challenging market.
Repositioned the Capital Markets business over the last three years to capture higher transaction fees, creating a 'flywheel effect' as fund sizes and activity levels increase.
Launched a dedicated defense and industrials platform to capitalize on an estimated $8 trillion in global defense spending driven by geopolitical shifts.
#billion #tell
1 day ago
Baron Capital, an investment management company, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Baron Health Care Fund". A copy of the letter is available to download here. The Fund gained 11.99% during the quarter, compared with the 10.48% gain for the Russell 3000 Health Care Index and the 15.44% gain for the Russell 3000 Index. Since inception, the Fund appreciated 10.61% on an annualized basis, compared with 10.02% for the Benchmark and 14.83% for the Index. Strong stock selection in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, health care equipment, and life sciences tools and services supported the Fund's outperformance, although limited exposure to managed care stocks reduced relative returns. The Fund remains positive on health care due to improving biotechnology funding, strong acquisition activity, recovering managed care margins, and growth from an aging population, chronic disease, medical innovation, and higher health care spending. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know the best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Baron Health Care Fund highlighted Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE). Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) a clinical stage biotechnology company, develops novel biologics for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, asthma, eosinophilic esophagitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other inflammatory and immunology indications. On August 04, 2026, Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) closed at $134.19 per share. One-month return of Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) was 1.05% and its shares gained 269.47% over the past 52 weeks. Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) has a market capitalization of $10.11 billion with a 52-week trading range between $34.34 - $134.46.
Baron Health Care Fund stated the following regarding Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Favorable stock selection in biotechnology, mostly attributable to acquisition target Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE), was partly offset by higher exposure to this underperforming sub-industry. In June, Apogee announced an agreement to be acquired by AbbVie Inc. for $135.11 per share, representing a 49.5% premium over the prior day's closing stock price. We sold Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. following announcements that it was being acquired by AbbVie Inc."
Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 44 hedge fund portfolios held Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) at the end of the first quarter which was 35 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Baron Health Care Fund highlighted Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE). Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) a clinical stage biotechnology company, develops novel biologics for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, asthma, eosinophilic esophagitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other inflammatory and immunology indications. On August 04, 2026, Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) closed at $134.19 per share. One-month return of Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) was 1.05% and its shares gained 269.47% over the past 52 weeks. Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) has a market capitalization of $10.11 billion with a 52-week trading range between $34.34 - $134.46.
Baron Health Care Fund stated the following regarding Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Favorable stock selection in biotechnology, mostly attributable to acquisition target Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE), was partly offset by higher exposure to this underperforming sub-industry. In June, Apogee announced an agreement to be acquired by AbbVie Inc. for $135.11 per share, representing a 49.5% premium over the prior day's closing stock price. We sold Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. following announcements that it was being acquired by AbbVie Inc."
Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 44 hedge fund portfolios held Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) at the end of the first quarter which was 35 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:APGE) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the
1 day ago
Luxury fashion retailers are accelerating store closures as slowing demand, economic uncertainty, and shifting consumer spending force even the industry's biggest names to rethink their global footprints.
Over the past year, several luxury companies have announced plans to shrink their retail networks as they prioritize stronger-performing locations, streamline operations, and invest in long-term growth rather than maintaining expansive store portfolios.
Kering closed 133 stores across its brands in 2025 and plans to shutter an additional 100 locations, with further reductions under review. The French multinational luxury goods group owns some of the most recognizable luxury houses, including Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen.
Ferragamo also expects to close roughly 70 stores between 2025 and 2026, while Burberry shuttered 21 locations during fiscal 2026.
Industry ****** ysts do not expect a rapid recovery.
#luxury #saint #laurent
Over the past year, several luxury companies have announced plans to shrink their retail networks as they prioritize stronger-performing locations, streamline operations, and invest in long-term growth rather than maintaining expansive store portfolios.
Kering closed 133 stores across its brands in 2025 and plans to shutter an additional 100 locations, with further reductions under review. The French multinational luxury goods group owns some of the most recognizable luxury houses, including Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen.
Ferragamo also expects to close roughly 70 stores between 2025 and 2026, while Burberry shuttered 21 locations during fiscal 2026.
Industry ****** ysts do not expect a rapid recovery.
#luxury #saint #laurent
1 day ago
SpaceX crowned NVIDIA exclusive chip supplier for Starmind, sending NVDL up 7% while SPCQ surged 21% on ***** eX's massive capex-driven selloff.
AMD dropped 7% despite record revenue up 50% and data center sales doubling, losing the Starmind chip socket entirely to NVIDIA.
Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here.
A single catalyst is doing the sorting in the AI hardware trade today. ***** eX (NASDAQ:SPCX) released its first quarterly report since its June 2026 IPO after the close on August 4, and although the top-line numbers beat expectations, investors focused on the eye-watering pace of AI capital spending.
On the same evening, ***** eX named NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) its exclusive AI chip supplier for its new Starmind orbital compute program, with Elon Musk calling NVIDIA's Vera Rubin architecture the best available. That one storyline is powering today's two headline ETF movers in opposite directions, while AMD (NASDAQ:AMD), which lost out to NVIDIA, trades lower.
#starmind
AMD dropped 7% despite record revenue up 50% and data center sales doubling, losing the Starmind chip socket entirely to NVIDIA.
Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here.
A single catalyst is doing the sorting in the AI hardware trade today. ***** eX (NASDAQ:SPCX) released its first quarterly report since its June 2026 IPO after the close on August 4, and although the top-line numbers beat expectations, investors focused on the eye-watering pace of AI capital spending.
On the same evening, ***** eX named NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) its exclusive AI chip supplier for its new Starmind orbital compute program, with Elon Musk calling NVIDIA's Vera Rubin architecture the best available. That one storyline is powering today's two headline ETF movers in opposite directions, while AMD (NASDAQ:AMD), which lost out to NVIDIA, trades lower.
#starmind
1 day ago
Manufacturing construction spending has collapsed 32% since Biden left office as CHIPS megaprojects wind down and IRA clean-energy plants are cancelled.
The ISM manufacturing index hit 55.6 in July, a 4-year high, with factory employment expanding for the first time in 33 months.
Today's production boom runs on Biden-era factories; a shrinking construction pipeline now quietly threatens U.S. manufacturing output in 2028 and beyond.
Don't wait: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just revealed his top 10 AI stocks. See the full list FREE now.
Donald Trump ran on rebuilding American factories. The building part is going the wrong way. Manufacturing construction spending in the United States is now down roughly 32% from its 2024 peak, reached in the final months of the Biden administration, according to a chart circulated this week by economist Joey Politano. The federal data behind it is stark: real dollars poured into new factory shells, chip fabs, and battery plants have slid from $211,142 million in August 2025 to $172,674 million in June 2026, a downward trajectory every month in between.
#plants
The ISM manufacturing index hit 55.6 in July, a 4-year high, with factory employment expanding for the first time in 33 months.
Today's production boom runs on Biden-era factories; a shrinking construction pipeline now quietly threatens U.S. manufacturing output in 2028 and beyond.
Don't wait: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just revealed his top 10 AI stocks. See the full list FREE now.
Donald Trump ran on rebuilding American factories. The building part is going the wrong way. Manufacturing construction spending in the United States is now down roughly 32% from its 2024 peak, reached in the final months of the Biden administration, according to a chart circulated this week by economist Joey Politano. The federal data behind it is stark: real dollars poured into new factory shells, chip fabs, and battery plants have slid from $211,142 million in August 2025 to $172,674 million in June 2026, a downward trajectory every month in between.
#plants
1 day ago
Meta Platforms (META) continues to grow rapidly, and evidence suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) is making its ads more effective. Still, the company's financial results appear unlikely to get a huge boost from AI in the bigger picture, while Meta also does not appear to have many imminent positive catalysts on the way. Meta's core ad business is also quite vulnerable to a potential drop in consumer spending, which could eventually be triggered by elevated oil prices and tariffs.
Conversely, Amazon (AMZN) is benefiting tremendously from the AI boom and appears likely to continue to do so. Amazon has multiple, needle-moving businesses working for it as well, making the case for AMZN stock even stronger.
Jeff Bezos Says He's Selling $1 Billion In Amazon Stock Every Year to Fund Blue Origin — 'It's The Most Important Work I'm Doing'
Apple's New CEO Is Bringing a Familiar Face Back From Retirement. The Shift Is Happening.
Nasdaq Futures Climb as Tech Rally Continues on Palantir Boost, U.S. JOLTS Report and ****** eX Earnings on Tap
#amzn #continues #boost #still
Conversely, Amazon (AMZN) is benefiting tremendously from the AI boom and appears likely to continue to do so. Amazon has multiple, needle-moving businesses working for it as well, making the case for AMZN stock even stronger.
Jeff Bezos Says He's Selling $1 Billion In Amazon Stock Every Year to Fund Blue Origin — 'It's The Most Important Work I'm Doing'
Apple's New CEO Is Bringing a Familiar Face Back From Retirement. The Shift Is Happening.
Nasdaq Futures Climb as Tech Rally Continues on Palantir Boost, U.S. JOLTS Report and ****** eX Earnings on Tap
#amzn #continues #boost #still
1 day ago
Interested in Global Indemnity Group, LLC? Here are five stocks we like better.
Profitability improved: Second-quarter net income rose 8% to $11.1 million, while first-half net income more than doubled to $15.3 million. Accident-year underwriting income increased 3%, supported by 4% earned-premium growth and a 94.7% combined ratio.
Growth was concentrated in reinsurance and collectibles: Valiant Re premiums surged 79% in the quarter, while Collectibles premiums rose 14%; however, Specialty products premiums fell 36%. Management still targets Belmont Core premiums about 15% above 2025 levels, requiring strong second-half growth.
Investment and technology initiatives remain central: Investment income increased to $16.4 million, and the fixed-income portfolio's book yield rose to 4.42%. Elevated technology spending is expected to decline as a percentage of premiums beginning in 2027, while Penn-America Pro remains targeted for a September launch.
5 Undervalued Stocks To Secure Your High Yield Portfolio
#Growth #rose #stocks #second
Profitability improved: Second-quarter net income rose 8% to $11.1 million, while first-half net income more than doubled to $15.3 million. Accident-year underwriting income increased 3%, supported by 4% earned-premium growth and a 94.7% combined ratio.
Growth was concentrated in reinsurance and collectibles: Valiant Re premiums surged 79% in the quarter, while Collectibles premiums rose 14%; however, Specialty products premiums fell 36%. Management still targets Belmont Core premiums about 15% above 2025 levels, requiring strong second-half growth.
Investment and technology initiatives remain central: Investment income increased to $16.4 million, and the fixed-income portfolio's book yield rose to 4.42%. Elevated technology spending is expected to decline as a percentage of premiums beginning in 2027, while Penn-America Pro remains targeted for a September launch.
5 Undervalued Stocks To Secure Your High Yield Portfolio
#Growth #rose #stocks #second
1 day ago
In this segment of the AI Investor Podcast from 24/7 Wall St., Eric Bleeker reviews Lam Research, a semiconductor equipment holding originally recommended to the million dollar AI portfolio he manages as part of a collection of memory-adjacent stocks. The quarter itself was solid: $1.82 in EPS against $1.70 expected, with the standout being guidance of $2.15 for next quarter versus a street estimate of $1.84. The stock jumped about 20% the next morning, though Bleeker attributes most of that to how far it had fallen during July's selloff rather than to the results, which he characterizes as good but not spectacular.His hesitation is valuation. Against a full-year estimate of $9.40, the shares trade a bit above 30 times forward earnings, which he considers the upper end of the historical range. He is not planning to add more with other opportunities across the market after a steep July sell-off. The broader read on semiconductor equipment is more bullish. Taiwan Semiconductor raised capex, Intel sounded optimistic on capex needs, and Bleeker guesses 2028 equipment spending could come in roughly 25% above where Wall Street currently models it. He is particularly interested in advanced packaging and testing, sub-verticals growing faster than the overall **** e. Lam remains a core long-term holding and, in his view, among the best operators in semi equipment.
#bleeker #semiconductor #above
#bleeker #semiconductor #above
1 day ago
Diamond Hill Capital, a First Eagle Investment Management company, issued its Q2 2026 investor letter for its "Mid Cap Strategy". A copy of the Q2 2026 investor letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, equity markets posted strong returns as resilient economic growth and robust corporate earnings supported investor sentiment, although AI-related companies continued to dominate market leadership. Technology was the strongest-performing sector, while industrials also advanced and energy lagged as oil prices declined. The Fund returned 7.92% and the Russell Midcap Index returned 13.83%. Health care holdings were the largest positive contributor, supported by strength across managed care, diagnostics, and life sciences. However, stock selection and an underweight position in information technology remained the main relative headwinds. The strategy maintained limited exposure to highly valued semiconductor and memory companies, reflecting concerns that current valuations ***** ume an extended period of elevated AI spending. It also continued to ***** s software and services businesses individually based on how AI may affect their long-term competitive positions. Management emphasized higher-quality companies, attractive valuations, capital preservation, and durable long-term compounding while remaining cautious about elevated valuations, concentrated leadership, and the sustainability of the current AI investment cycle. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) as a notable contributor. Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) is a leading industrial company that offers sustainable power solutions, transmission, and control motion products. On August 4, 2026, Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) closed at $220.04 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $12.59 billion. Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) posted a one-month return of -10.87%, while its shares gained 27.56% over the past 52 weeks.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Shares of electrical product manufacturer Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) rose in 2Q26 after reporting solid results on strong data center demand. Merger synergies and operational improvement initiatives drove better-than-expected organic growth and margin expansion, and we believe the market has yet to fully reflect the benefits of these efforts."
#regal #corporation #NYSE #capital
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) as a notable contributor. Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) is a leading industrial company that offers sustainable power solutions, transmission, and control motion products. On August 4, 2026, Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) closed at $220.04 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $12.59 billion. Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) posted a one-month return of -10.87%, while its shares gained 27.56% over the past 52 weeks.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Shares of electrical product manufacturer Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) rose in 2Q26 after reporting solid results on strong data center demand. Merger synergies and operational improvement initiatives drove better-than-expected organic growth and margin expansion, and we believe the market has yet to fully reflect the benefits of these efforts."
#regal #corporation #NYSE #capital
1 day ago
Shares are down roughly a fifth over the past year, and the risk that matters now is a spending plan with no stated payback date.
Meta Platforms (META) has spent the past year losing an argument with its own shareholders. The business is not the problem: revenue grew 28% year over year in the second quarter of 2026. The problem is what that growth now costs to produce, and the biggest risk to the stock is that ***** ody has put a date on when the spending pays.
Where The Twenty-Eight Percent Goes
Total expenses climbed 55% to $42 billion in that quarter, and operating income went backwards, falling 8% to $18.8 billion on revenue of $60.8 billion. Legal charges of $2.4 billion and $1.2 billion of severance from the May 2026 head count reduction account for part of that, and both are one-off items. Strip them out, though, and management's own arithmetic still leaves operating income up only 9% against 28% revenue growth, because much of the durable pressure sits in the infrastructure line: higher depreciation, the cost of running data centers, and third-party cloud spend, all rising to serve a compute build that management itself calls a big bet.
The Cash The Build Is Eating
#year #spending
Meta Platforms (META) has spent the past year losing an argument with its own shareholders. The business is not the problem: revenue grew 28% year over year in the second quarter of 2026. The problem is what that growth now costs to produce, and the biggest risk to the stock is that ***** ody has put a date on when the spending pays.
Where The Twenty-Eight Percent Goes
Total expenses climbed 55% to $42 billion in that quarter, and operating income went backwards, falling 8% to $18.8 billion on revenue of $60.8 billion. Legal charges of $2.4 billion and $1.2 billion of severance from the May 2026 head count reduction account for part of that, and both are one-off items. Strip them out, though, and management's own arithmetic still leaves operating income up only 9% against 28% revenue growth, because much of the durable pressure sits in the infrastructure line: higher depreciation, the cost of running data centers, and third-party cloud spend, all rising to serve a compute build that management itself calls a big bet.
The Cash The Build Is Eating
#year #spending
1 day ago
Interested in Criteo S.A.? Here are five stocks we like better.
Criteo lowered its 2026 outlook after second-quarter results missed expectations, primarily because several large Performance Media clients reduced spending. Full-year Contribution ex-TAC is now expected to decline 10% to 12% at constant currency.
Retail Media showed underlying strength despite $75 million of expected annualized impact from client scope reductions. Excluding those clients, second-quarter Retail Media Contribution ex-TAC grew 20%, while media spend increased 31% year over year.
Criteo continues investing in AI and self-service products, with more than 2,000 brands running campaigns through its OpenAI partnership and over half of its small clients adopting Criteo GO. The company expects these initiatives to become meaningful growth contributors beginning in 2027.
Trade Desk Pops on Possible OpenAI Deal—Game Changer or Headfake?
#Media #contribution #retail #expected
Criteo lowered its 2026 outlook after second-quarter results missed expectations, primarily because several large Performance Media clients reduced spending. Full-year Contribution ex-TAC is now expected to decline 10% to 12% at constant currency.
Retail Media showed underlying strength despite $75 million of expected annualized impact from client scope reductions. Excluding those clients, second-quarter Retail Media Contribution ex-TAC grew 20%, while media spend increased 31% year over year.
Criteo continues investing in AI and self-service products, with more than 2,000 brands running campaigns through its OpenAI partnership and over half of its small clients adopting Criteo GO. The company expects these initiatives to become meaningful growth contributors beginning in 2027.
Trade Desk Pops on Possible OpenAI Deal—Game Changer or Headfake?
#Media #contribution #retail #expected
1 day ago
Diamond Hill Capital, a First Eagle Investment Management company, issued its Q2 2026 investor letter for its "Mid Cap Strategy". A copy of the Q2 2026 investor letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, equity markets posted strong returns as resilient economic growth and robust corporate earnings supported investor sentiment, although AI-related companies continued to dominate market leadership. Technology was the strongest-performing sector, while industrials also advanced and energy lagged as oil prices declined. The Fund returned 7.92% and the Russell Midcap Index returned 13.83%. Health care holdings were the largest positive contributor, supported by strength across managed care, diagnostics, and life sciences. However, stock selection and an underweight position in information technology remained the main relative headwinds. The strategy maintained limited exposure to highly valued semiconductor and memory companies, reflecting concerns that current valuations ***** ume an extended period of elevated AI spending. It also continued to ***** s software and services businesses individually based on how AI may affect their long-term competitive positions. Management emphasized higher-quality companies, attractive valuations, capital preservation, and durable long-term compounding while remaining cautious about elevated valuations, concentrated leadership, and the sustainability of the current AI investment cycle. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN). Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) is a biotechnology company that focuses on sequencing- and array-based solutions for genetic and genomic ***** ysis. On August 4, 2026, Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) closed at $203.01 per share. One-month return of Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) was 6.92% and its shares gained 112.65% over the past 52 weeks. Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) has a market capitalization of $30.65 billion with a 52-week trading range between $88.00 - $207.00.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Biotechnology company Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) is the leading producer of next generation sequencing systems, which are used to sequence DNA for research and are increasingly important in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Shares rose during the quarter after better-than-expected clinical growth, while competitor Roche's comparable product launch appeared underwhelming."
#illumina
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN). Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) is a biotechnology company that focuses on sequencing- and array-based solutions for genetic and genomic ***** ysis. On August 4, 2026, Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) closed at $203.01 per share. One-month return of Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) was 6.92% and its shares gained 112.65% over the past 52 weeks. Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) has a market capitalization of $30.65 billion with a 52-week trading range between $88.00 - $207.00.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Biotechnology company Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) is the leading producer of next generation sequencing systems, which are used to sequence DNA for research and are increasingly important in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Shares rose during the quarter after better-than-expected clinical growth, while competitor Roche's comparable product launch appeared underwhelming."
#illumina
1 day ago
SpaceX's $18.4B AI capex is a fraction of the $860B rivals plan to spend in 2026, an 80% year-over-year increase.
Amazon commits $220B and Meta up to $145B for AI this year, while ****** eX rents compute capacity to Google and Anthropic instead.
xAI's Grok trails Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini in Apple's App Store rankings, exposing ****** eX's weak enterprise and consumer AI footprint.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and ****** eX didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Someone, please tell me if I'm wrong. ****** eX (NASDAQ: SPCX) said its capital expenditures were $18.4 billion in the quarter that just ended. Almost all of the spending is going toward AI. By the same token, Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) says it will spend a ton more. Yahoo reports, "Oracle expects capital expenditures of up to $95 billion in fiscal 2027, though it expects repayments from customers for up to $25 billion of that." And that number is small by megatech company standards.
#billion #NASDAQ #oracle #expects
Amazon commits $220B and Meta up to $145B for AI this year, while ****** eX rents compute capacity to Google and Anthropic instead.
xAI's Grok trails Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini in Apple's App Store rankings, exposing ****** eX's weak enterprise and consumer AI footprint.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and ****** eX didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Someone, please tell me if I'm wrong. ****** eX (NASDAQ: SPCX) said its capital expenditures were $18.4 billion in the quarter that just ended. Almost all of the spending is going toward AI. By the same token, Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) says it will spend a ton more. Yahoo reports, "Oracle expects capital expenditures of up to $95 billion in fiscal 2027, though it expects repayments from customers for up to $25 billion of that." And that number is small by megatech company standards.
#billion #NASDAQ #oracle #expects
1 day ago
Diamond Hill Capital, a First Eagle Investment Management company, issued its Q2 2026 investor letter for its "Mid Cap Strategy". A copy of the Q2 2026 investor letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, equity markets posted strong returns as resilient economic growth and robust corporate earnings supported investor sentiment, although AI-related companies continued to dominate market leadership. Technology was the strongest-performing sector, while industrials also advanced and energy lagged as oil prices declined. The Fund returned 7.92% and the Russell Midcap Index returned 13.83%. Health care holdings were the largest positive contributor, supported by strength across managed care, diagnostics, and life sciences. However, stock selection and an underweight position in information technology remained the main relative headwinds. The strategy maintained limited exposure to highly valued semiconductor and memory companies, reflecting concerns that current valuations **** ume an extended period of elevated AI spending. It also continued to **** s software and services businesses individually based on how AI may affect their long-term competitive positions. Management emphasized higher-quality companies, attractive valuations, capital preservation, and durable long-term compounding while remaining cautious about elevated valuations, concentrated leadership, and the sustainability of the current AI investment cycle. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) as a newly added position. Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) is a US-based technology company that offers data **** ytics and technology solutions to the insurance industry. On August 4, 2026, Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) closed at $192.80 per share. One-month return of Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) was 1.65% and its shares gained -27.24% over the past 52 weeks. Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) has a market capitalization of $25.13 billion with a 52-week trading range between $155.94 - $276.19.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK), the leading provider of data and **** ytics to the insurance industry, benefits from a market position with limited competition. We initiated a position as its services represent a small portion of customers' overall costs but are deeply embedded in their workflows and critical to their operations, supporting consistent revenue growth, strong margins and sustained pricing power."
#strategy
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) as a newly added position. Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) is a US-based technology company that offers data **** ytics and technology solutions to the insurance industry. On August 4, 2026, Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) closed at $192.80 per share. One-month return of Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) was 1.65% and its shares gained -27.24% over the past 52 weeks. Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) has a market capitalization of $25.13 billion with a 52-week trading range between $155.94 - $276.19.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Verisk **** ytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSK), the leading provider of data and **** ytics to the insurance industry, benefits from a market position with limited competition. We initiated a position as its services represent a small portion of customers' overall costs but are deeply embedded in their workflows and critical to their operations, supporting consistent revenue growth, strong margins and sustained pricing power."
#strategy
1 day ago
Diamond Hill Capital, a First Eagle Investment Management company, issued its Q2 2026 investor letter for its "Mid Cap Strategy". A copy of the Q2 2026 investor letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, equity markets posted strong returns as resilient economic growth and robust corporate earnings supported investor sentiment, although AI-related companies continued to dominate market leadership. Technology was the strongest-performing sector, while industrials also advanced and energy lagged as oil prices declined. The Fund returned 7.92% and the Russell Midcap Index returned 13.83%. Health care holdings were the largest positive contributor, supported by strength across managed care, diagnostics, and life sciences. However, stock selection and an underweight position in information technology remained the main relative headwinds. The strategy maintained limited exposure to highly valued semiconductor and memory companies, reflecting concerns that current valuations ******* ume an extended period of elevated AI spending. It also continued to ******* s software and services businesses individually based on how AI may affect their long-term competitive positions. Management emphasized higher-quality companies, attractive valuations, capital preservation, and durable long-term compounding while remaining cautious about elevated valuations, concentrated leadership, and the sustainability of the current AI investment cycle. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) as a newly added position. Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) is a US-based healthcare enterprise that offers services to underinsured and uninsured families and commercial organizations. On August 4, 2026, Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) closed at $64.07 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $31.49 billion. Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) posted a one-month return of -3.57%, while its shares gained 164.18% over the past 52 weeks.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We initiated a position in managed care provider Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) as we believe managed care margins now have a realistic path to recovery over the next few years as reimbursement rates catch up with underlying cost trends across the insured population."
Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 72 hedge fund portfolios held Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) at the end of the first quarter which was 78 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are look
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) as a newly added position. Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) is a US-based healthcare enterprise that offers services to underinsured and uninsured families and commercial organizations. On August 4, 2026, Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) closed at $64.07 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $31.49 billion. Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) posted a one-month return of -3.57%, while its shares gained 164.18% over the past 52 weeks.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We initiated a position in managed care provider Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) as we believe managed care margins now have a realistic path to recovery over the next few years as reimbursement rates catch up with underlying cost trends across the insured population."
Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 72 hedge fund portfolios held Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) at the end of the first quarter which was 78 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are look
1 day ago
Diamond Hill Capital, a First Eagle Investment Management company, issued its Q2 2026 investor letter for its "Mid Cap Strategy". A copy of the Q2 2026 investor letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, equity markets posted strong returns as resilient economic growth and robust corporate earnings supported investor sentiment, although AI-related companies continued to dominate market leadership. Technology was the strongest-performing sector, while industrials also advanced and energy lagged as oil prices declined. The Fund returned 7.92% and the Russell Midcap Index returned 13.83%. Health care holdings were the largest positive contributor, supported by strength across managed care, diagnostics, and life sciences. However, stock selection and an underweight position in information technology remained the main relative headwinds. The strategy maintained limited exposure to highly valued semiconductor and memory companies, reflecting concerns that current valuations ******* ume an extended period of elevated AI spending. It also continued to ******* s software and services businesses individually based on how AI may affect their long-term competitive positions. Management emphasized higher-quality companies, attractive valuations, capital preservation, and durable long-term compounding while remaining cautious about elevated valuations, concentrated leadership, and the sustainability of the current AI investment cycle. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII). Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) is US-based military shipbuilding company. On August 4, 2026, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) closed at $323.06 per share. One-month return of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) was 11.60% and its shares gained 20.77% over the past 52 weeks. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) has a market capitalization of $12.84 billion with a 52-week trading range between $259.00 - $460.00.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII), the largest shipbuilder for the US Navy, underperformed following mixed 1Q26 results. Strong revenue growth was offset by margin pressure from execution challenges and legacy pre-COVID contracts, while the broader defense sector weakened amid delays to US defense funding legislation and improving geopolitical tensions."
#capital #strategy #diamond #letter
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII). Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) is US-based military shipbuilding company. On August 4, 2026, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) closed at $323.06 per share. One-month return of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) was 11.60% and its shares gained 20.77% over the past 52 weeks. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) has a market capitalization of $12.84 billion with a 52-week trading range between $259.00 - $460.00.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII), the largest shipbuilder for the US Navy, underperformed following mixed 1Q26 results. Strong revenue growth was offset by margin pressure from execution challenges and legacy pre-COVID contracts, while the broader defense sector weakened amid delays to US defense funding legislation and improving geopolitical tensions."
#capital #strategy #diamond #letter
1 day ago
Diamond Hill Capital, a First Eagle Investment Management company, issued its Q2 2026 investor letter for its "Mid Cap Strategy". A copy of the Q2 2026 investor letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, equity markets posted strong returns as resilient economic growth and robust corporate earnings supported investor sentiment, although AI-related companies continued to dominate market leadership. Technology was the strongest-performing sector, while industrials also advanced and energy lagged as oil prices declined. The Fund returned 7.92% and the Russell Midcap Index returned 13.83%. Health care holdings were the largest positive contributor, supported by strength across managed care, diagnostics, and life sciences. However, stock selection and an underweight position in information technology remained the main relative headwinds. The strategy maintained limited exposure to highly valued semiconductor and memory companies, reflecting concerns that current valuations **** ume an extended period of elevated AI spending. It also continued to **** s software and services businesses individually based on how AI may affect their long-term competitive positions. Management emphasized higher-quality companies, attractive valuations, capital preservation, and durable long-term compounding while remaining cautious about elevated valuations, concentrated leadership, and the sustainability of the current AI investment cycle. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) as a newly added position. Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) provides water **** ytics, water treatment, marking and coding, and packaging and color solutions. On August 4, 2026, Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) closed at $96.45 per share. One-month return of Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) was 5.13% and its shares lost 10.26% over the past 52 weeks. Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) has a market capitalization of $23.12 billion with a 52-week trading range between $80.03 - $110.11.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Water testing and treatment provider Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) was spun out of Danaher in late 2023. We initiated a position as we believe the market has underappreciated the company's resilient business model, strong profitability and disciplined capital allocation amid the current chase for revenue growth in data center-related industries."
#veralto #NYSE #capital
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) as a newly added position. Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) provides water **** ytics, water treatment, marking and coding, and packaging and color solutions. On August 4, 2026, Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) closed at $96.45 per share. One-month return of Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) was 5.13% and its shares lost 10.26% over the past 52 weeks. Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) has a market capitalization of $23.12 billion with a 52-week trading range between $80.03 - $110.11.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Water testing and treatment provider Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) was spun out of Danaher in late 2023. We initiated a position as we believe the market has underappreciated the company's resilient business model, strong profitability and disciplined capital allocation amid the current chase for revenue growth in data center-related industries."
#veralto #NYSE #capital
1 day ago
Diamond Hill Capital, a First Eagle Investment Management company, issued its Q2 2026 investor letter for its "Mid Cap Strategy". A copy of the Q2 2026 investor letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, equity markets posted strong returns as resilient economic growth and robust corporate earnings supported investor sentiment, although AI-related companies continued to dominate market leadership. Technology was the strongest-performing sector, while industrials also advanced and energy lagged as oil prices declined. The Fund returned 7.92% and the Russell Midcap Index returned 13.83%. Health care holdings were the largest positive contributor, supported by strength across managed care, diagnostics, and life sciences. However, stock selection and an underweight position in information technology remained the main relative headwinds. The strategy maintained limited exposure to highly valued semiconductor and memory companies, reflecting concerns that current valuations ******* ume an extended period of elevated AI spending. It also continued to ******* s software and services businesses individually based on how AI may affect their long-term competitive positions. Management emphasized higher-quality companies, attractive valuations, capital preservation, and durable long-term compounding while remaining cautious about elevated valuations, concentrated leadership, and the sustainability of the current AI investment cycle. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX), a company specializing in data, ******* ytics, and technology through its Workforce Solutions, U.S. Information Solutions (USIS), and International divisions. During the quarter, the strategy added Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) to its portfolio. On August 04, 2026, Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) closed at $177.12 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $20.81 billion. Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) posted a one-month return of 6.00%, while its shares lost 26.38% over the past 52 weeks.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX), a provider of mortgage, employment and other data, manages proprietary datasets that are costly and difficult to replicate. Given that its data is critical to customers' workflows yet represents a small portion of their overall costs and it operates in a consolidated industry, the company has historically benefited from strong pricing power and consistent growth."
#capital #diamond #letter
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy highlighted Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX), a company specializing in data, ******* ytics, and technology through its Workforce Solutions, U.S. Information Solutions (USIS), and International divisions. During the quarter, the strategy added Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) to its portfolio. On August 04, 2026, Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) closed at $177.12 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $20.81 billion. Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) posted a one-month return of 6.00%, while its shares lost 26.38% over the past 52 weeks.
Diamond Hill Capital Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX), a provider of mortgage, employment and other data, manages proprietary datasets that are costly and difficult to replicate. Given that its data is critical to customers' workflows yet represents a small portion of their overall costs and it operates in a consolidated industry, the company has historically benefited from strong pricing power and consistent growth."
#capital #diamond #letter
1 day ago
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CNBC's Jim Cramer said Monday that Amazon.Com Inc CEO Andy Jassy's explanation of the company's artificial intelligence (AI) spending during its latest earnings call changed how Wall Street views Big Tech's multibillion-dollar AI investments.
Cramer said investors had questioned for months whether hyperscalers' massive AI infrastructure spending would generate meaningful returns.
He said Jassy's earnings call gave Wall Street the visibility it had been seeking into how those investments are expected to produce long-term cash flow, CNBC reported Monday.
Don't Miss:
#Monday #wall #earnings #Investments
CNBC's Jim Cramer said Monday that Amazon.Com Inc CEO Andy Jassy's explanation of the company's artificial intelligence (AI) spending during its latest earnings call changed how Wall Street views Big Tech's multibillion-dollar AI investments.
Cramer said investors had questioned for months whether hyperscalers' massive AI infrastructure spending would generate meaningful returns.
He said Jassy's earnings call gave Wall Street the visibility it had been seeking into how those investments are expected to produce long-term cash flow, CNBC reported Monday.
Don't Miss:
#Monday #wall #earnings #Investments
1 day ago
SpaceX (SPCX) is becoming an AI giant faster than expected — it is also spending like one.
The company's first quarterly report as a public company showed its AI business growing rapidly and swinging to an adjusted profit. But ***** eX spent nearly $16 billion on AI infrastructure during the quarter — more than six times the segment's revenue.
Space stock fell 10% in early trading Wednesday and was on track for its second-worst daily return since its June IPO.
That advances a shift visible before the IPO. ***** eX entered the public market with a rocket company reputation, but its own filings pointed investors toward AI.
AI revenue more than tripled from the first quarter to $2.6 billion. Adjusted EBITDA swung from a $609 million loss to a $1.1 billion profit.
#SpaceX #quarter
The company's first quarterly report as a public company showed its AI business growing rapidly and swinging to an adjusted profit. But ***** eX spent nearly $16 billion on AI infrastructure during the quarter — more than six times the segment's revenue.
Space stock fell 10% in early trading Wednesday and was on track for its second-worst daily return since its June IPO.
That advances a shift visible before the IPO. ***** eX entered the public market with a rocket company reputation, but its own filings pointed investors toward AI.
AI revenue more than tripled from the first quarter to $2.6 billion. Adjusted EBITDA swung from a $609 million loss to a $1.1 billion profit.
#SpaceX #quarter
1 day ago
Amazon's (NASDAQ: AMZN) second-quarter earnings had investors on edge, fixated above all else on the company's capital expenditure (capex) outlook. This figure came in at roughly $220 billion for the full year, a meaningful increase from the previously stated $200 billion. According to management, higher memory costs are driving the surge.
The question hanging over Amazon's financials is whether such heavy spending can still be justified. During the earnings call, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy made some comments that offer a pointed answer.
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 »
Heavy capital spending and free cash flow are linked by a simple accounting equation. Free cash flow equals cash generated from operations minus capital expenditures. When Amazon accelerates investment in data center infrastructure and servers, capex rises and free cash flow compresses.
In the trailing 12 months that ended with the second quarter, Amazon's free cash flow swung to an outflow of $7.6 billion. The swing was driven by a $66.1 billion year-over-year increase in property and equipment purchases, the bulk of which was tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure.
#cash #NVIDIA #capital
The question hanging over Amazon's financials is whether such heavy spending can still be justified. During the earnings call, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy made some comments that offer a pointed answer.
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 »
Heavy capital spending and free cash flow are linked by a simple accounting equation. Free cash flow equals cash generated from operations minus capital expenditures. When Amazon accelerates investment in data center infrastructure and servers, capex rises and free cash flow compresses.
In the trailing 12 months that ended with the second quarter, Amazon's free cash flow swung to an outflow of $7.6 billion. The swing was driven by a $66.1 billion year-over-year increase in property and equipment purchases, the bulk of which was tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure.
#cash #NVIDIA #capital
1 day ago
Emerald Wealth Partners, an independent ***** et and wealth management firm based in Zurich, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Focused Equity Strategy." A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Strategy reported a 0.8% gross return for the second quarter of 2026. Equity markets rallied after the first quarter's Iran shock faded and oil prices reversed their spike, but the advance remained narrow and concentrated in cyclical semiconductor and memory stocks benefiting from supply constraints. The letter warned that investors were treating peak-cycle earnings as durable, while FOMO, IPO demand, and a US cyclically adjusted P/E ratio near 40 pointed to late-cycle market behavior. Long-term fundamentals are currently undervalued by the market, leading to underperformance in the strategy, notably due to the portfolio's avoidance of low-quality momentum-driven semiconductor stocks, which boosted the benchmark this quarter. It remains focused on enterprise infrastructure, digital platforms, custom silicon, and networking businesses that hold customer relationships, workflow data, distribution, and efficiency advantages, which could allow them to monetize AI rather than be displaced by it. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy highlighted Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO). Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), a leading American company that designs and develops various semiconductor devices and infrastructure software solutions, contributed 64 bps to the strategy's performance during the quarter. On August 4, 2026, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) closed at $418.16 per share. One-month return of Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) was 7.58% and its shares gained 38.62% over the past 52 weeks. Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) has a market capitalization of $1.99 trillion.
Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) added 64 bps, its 22.3% share price climb helped by the news OpenAI has selected the company to design its custom inference chip. Broadcom is the dominant designer of custom AI silicon: it has long co-designed Google's Tensor Processing Units, which power Gemini and some of Anthropic's inference capacity through Google Cloud. Few companies possess the engineering depth to develop bespoke accelerators at hyperscale. AI spending is shifting from training models to running them, where custom chips deliver materially better performance per watt and a lower cost per token than Nvidia's general purpose GPUs. Under Hock Tan, one of the industry's ablest capital allocators, the company has ***** embled two further pillars that sit at the center of the AI buildout: It dominates the Ethernet switching silicon that interconnects AI clusters — content that grows with cluster size, whether those clusters run on Nvidia GPUs
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy highlighted Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO). Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), a leading American company that designs and develops various semiconductor devices and infrastructure software solutions, contributed 64 bps to the strategy's performance during the quarter. On August 4, 2026, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) closed at $418.16 per share. One-month return of Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) was 7.58% and its shares gained 38.62% over the past 52 weeks. Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) has a market capitalization of $1.99 trillion.
Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) added 64 bps, its 22.3% share price climb helped by the news OpenAI has selected the company to design its custom inference chip. Broadcom is the dominant designer of custom AI silicon: it has long co-designed Google's Tensor Processing Units, which power Gemini and some of Anthropic's inference capacity through Google Cloud. Few companies possess the engineering depth to develop bespoke accelerators at hyperscale. AI spending is shifting from training models to running them, where custom chips deliver materially better performance per watt and a lower cost per token than Nvidia's general purpose GPUs. Under Hock Tan, one of the industry's ablest capital allocators, the company has ***** embled two further pillars that sit at the center of the AI buildout: It dominates the Ethernet switching silicon that interconnects AI clusters — content that grows with cluster size, whether those clusters run on Nvidia GPUs
1 day ago
Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) has quickly established itself as one of Wall Street's hottest artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure plays. Riding the wave of surging enterprise AI spending, the AI cloud company has delivered triple-digit gains over the past year, fueled by explosive revenue growth, multibillion-dollar AI infrastructure deals, and soaring demand for its GPU-powered cloud platform. And now, the stock is back in focus. Piper Sandler recently initiated coverage on Nebius, just as investors gear up for a key catalyst on August 5.
The company is expected to provide an update on its Vineland AI data center, a flagship project that sits at the heart of its ambitious AI cloud expansion plans. The Vineland facility is designed to meet the rapidly accelerating demand for AI training and inference workloads. Investors will be closely watching for updates on construction progress, capacity, customer commitments, and the commercialization timeline, as the project's successful execution could significantly strengthen Nebius' long-term growth story.
Jeff Bezos Says He's Selling $1 Billion In Amazon Stock Every Year to Fund Blue Origin — 'It's The Most Important Work I'm Doing'
Apple's New CEO Is Bringing a Familiar Face Back From Retirement. The Shift Is Happening.
Nasdaq Futures Climb as Tech Rally Continues on Palantir Boost, U.S. JOLTS Report and ******* eX Earnings on Tap
#vineland #back
The company is expected to provide an update on its Vineland AI data center, a flagship project that sits at the heart of its ambitious AI cloud expansion plans. The Vineland facility is designed to meet the rapidly accelerating demand for AI training and inference workloads. Investors will be closely watching for updates on construction progress, capacity, customer commitments, and the commercialization timeline, as the project's successful execution could significantly strengthen Nebius' long-term growth story.
Jeff Bezos Says He's Selling $1 Billion In Amazon Stock Every Year to Fund Blue Origin — 'It's The Most Important Work I'm Doing'
Apple's New CEO Is Bringing a Familiar Face Back From Retirement. The Shift Is Happening.
Nasdaq Futures Climb as Tech Rally Continues on Palantir Boost, U.S. JOLTS Report and ******* eX Earnings on Tap
#vineland #back
