Core Insights - Lyft's stock fell 15% in after-hours trading following disappointing fourth-quarter results [1] - Revenue increased by 3% year-over-year, with bookings rising 19% to $5.07 billion, aligning with Wall Street estimates [1] - Net income reached approximately $2.76 billion, translating to $6.72 per share [1] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) are projected to be between $120 million and $140 million for the current quarter, below analysts' expectations of $139.8 million [2] - Revenue for the fourth quarter was reported at $1.59 billion, compared to the expected $1.76 billion [5] Operational Metrics - Active riders totaled 29.2 million, falling short of the StreetAccount estimate of 29.5 million [3] - Total rides amounted to 243.5 million, which was below the FactSet estimate of 256.6 million [3] Strategic Initiatives - The board approved up to $1 billion in additional share buybacks, indicating a commitment to returning value to shareholders [4] Market Context - Recent legislation in California that reduced insurance costs contributed to lower rideshare prices, which the company believes will eventually drive increased demand [2][3]

Core Viewpoint - Ford Motor is expected to report a decline in revenue and adjusted earnings per share for the fourth quarter and year-end results, reflecting challenges in its business operations [2][3]. Financial Performance - The anticipated results indicate a 6.8% decline in revenue compared to the previous year, with adjusted earnings per share expected to fall by more than 50% [2]. - For the fourth quarter of 2024, Ford's automotive revenue is projected to be $44.9 billion, with a net income of $1.8 billion, translating to 45 cents per share, and adjusted earnings before interest and taxes of $2.1 billion, or 39 cents per share adjusted EPS [2]. Special Items and Charges - Ford's fourth-quarter results will include significant one-time charges, such as $600 million related to adjustments in postretirement benefits and a majority of $19.5 billion associated with restructuring its business priorities and reducing investments in all-electric vehicles [3]. - Automakers typically exclude these "special items" from adjusted financial results to provide a clearer view of ongoing business operations [3]. Business Outlook - Investors are keenly awaiting updates on Ford's business plans and forecasts for 2026, as well as production updates for its F-Series pickup trucks, particularly following a supplier fire that has affected operations [4].

A 'now hiring' sign is displayed in a business's window in Manhattan on Jan. 9, 2026, in New York City.Spencer Platt | Getty ImagesThe jobs report Wednesday could resemble a big nothing, in more ways than one.Economists expect that January's nonfarm payrolls report will show growth that was nil or not much better during the month. On top of that, annual revisions also could reveal that the U.S. economy going back to early 2024 had generated few if any net jobs, casting further doubt on the health of the lab ...

A multibillion-dollar crypto asset manager cites several reasons for the bitcoin plunge, but he's listing "the four-year cycle" as the No. 1 downward catalyst.According to Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at Bitwise Asset Management, it's a phenomenon that's happened three other times in the crypto market."People are looking for one thing to blame for the current retracement in bitcoin. But there is not any one thing to blame," he told "ETF Edge" on Monday.Hougan contends investors have been favoring o ...

Core Viewpoint - Estee Lauder has filed a lawsuit against Walmart, alleging that the retailer sold counterfeit beauty products on its website and failed to ensure the authenticity of the merchandise offered to consumers [1][2]. Legal Allegations - Estee Lauder claims to have purchased and tested several products sold on Walmart.com that were found to be counterfeit, including items from brands like Le Labo, La Mer, Clinique, Aveda, and Tom Ford [2][3]. - The lawsuit highlights that Walmart's online marketplace allowed third-party sellers to offer counterfeit products, which were promoted using Estee Lauder's trademarks, leading to consumer confusion regarding the authenticity of the products [3][4]. Walmart's Marketplace Strategy - Walmart's online marketplace is a crucial part of its strategy to enhance profit growth and compete with Amazon, contributing to its recent achievement of a $1 trillion market cap [7]. - However, the strategy poses risks, as the sale of counterfeit products could lead to liability issues and damage customer trust in the Walmart brand [8]. Legislative Context - The Shop Safe Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at reducing counterfeit sales on online marketplaces, seeks to encourage platforms to better vet sellers and products, potentially shielding them from liability if they comply with anti-counterfeiting measures [9]. - Despite support from brands, the legislation has failed to pass multiple times, partly due to lobbying efforts from Walmart and other online marketplaces [10].

Core Viewpoint - The launch of a new AI-powered tax planning tool has led to significant declines in shares of financial services firms, indicating potential disruption in the industry. Group 1: Market Reaction - Shares of financial services firms experienced a sharp decline, with LPL Financial falling nearly 11% and both Charles Schwab and Raymond James Financial dropping over 9% [1] - Morgan Stanley's shares also decreased by 4%, reflecting widespread concern about the impact of AI on the financial services sector [1] Group 2: AI Tool Overview - Altruist introduced an AI platform named Hazel, which assists advisors in creating personalized tax strategies by analyzing various client data sources, including 1040s, paystubs, and account statements [2] - The tool applies deep tax logic to its analysis, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of tax planning for financial advisors [2]

Sundar Pichai, chief executive officer of Alphabet Inc., during the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.Alphabet's debt sale keeps getting bigger.The company is close to finalizing a global bond issuance in excess of $30 billion, according to two people familiar with the deal, an increase from the $20 billion it raised on Monday.On Tuesday morning, Alphabet went to the European market to raise roughly $11 billion in sterling and Swiss francs, said the peopl ...

Core Viewpoint - The company remains committed to accumulating Bitcoin despite recent price declines and has plans to refinance its debt if necessary [1][2] Group 1: Company Strategy - The CEO, Michael Saylor, plans to continue purchasing Bitcoin every quarter indefinitely [2] - The company has over $8 billion in total debt, partly due to the issuance of convertible notes for Bitcoin purchases [2] Group 2: Market Conditions - Bitcoin is currently trading at $68,970.45, having decreased by 9% over the past five days and 15% to $60,062.00 on Thursday, marking its lowest level in approximately 16 months [1] - The cryptocurrency has seen a decline of more than 50% from its all-time high [1]

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Skydance has enhanced its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) by introducing a "ticking fee" to demonstrate regulatory confidence, while maintaining its initial cash offer of $30 per share for WBD shareholders [1][2]. Offer Details - Paramount's offer remains at $30 per share in cash, which the company claims is superior to Netflix's pending transaction with WBD [1][2]. - The "ticking fee" is set at 25 cents per share per quarter for any delays in regulatory approval beyond December 31, 2026, amounting to approximately $650 million in cash value for each quarter the deal is not closed [3]. Financial Commitments - Paramount will cover the $2.8 billion termination fee that WBD would owe Netflix if their deal fails, and it will also eliminate a potential $1.5 billion refinancing cost of debt [4]. - The revised offer is fully financed by $43.6 billion in equity commitments from the Ellison family and RedBird Capital Partners, along with $54 billion in debt commitments from lenders including Bank of America, Citigroup, and Apollo [5]. Competitive Landscape - Netflix's acquisition of WBD's streaming and studio assets is projected to close within 12 to 18 months from its announcement in December, contingent upon the separation of WBD's TV networks expected in Q3 2026 [6]. - Netflix has amended its offer to $27.75 per share in cash, down from an initial equity value of $72 billion that included a mix of cash and stock [6]. Regulatory Context - Paramount's revised offer is influenced by antitrust concerns raised by lawmakers and industry insiders regarding Netflix's proposed deal [7]. - Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has expressed confidence in securing regulatory approval for their deal, emphasizing its benefits for jobs and innovation in the media sector [8].

Core Insights - Consumer activity experienced a significant slowdown during the December holiday shopping season due to adverse weather, tariff impacts, and persistent inflation [1] - Retail sales remained flat month-over-month, contrasting with a 0.6% increase in November, and fell short of economists' expectations for a 0.4% increase [1] - On an annual basis, retail sales rose by 2.4%, a decline from the 3.3% growth rate observed in November, while sales excluding autos increased by 3.3% year-over-year in December [2] Retail Performance - The December shopping pace did not keep up with inflation, as the consumer price index rose by 2.7% [2] - Higher-end consumers maintained brisk spending throughout much of 2025, while lower-income consumers exhibited more cautious spending behavior [2] - Multiple retail categories reported losses in December, with only a few categories showing notable gains [3]