Two leaders in the industrials sector just significantly increased their dividends, while another behemoth is very likely gearing up to do the same. The industrial sector has been resilient so far in 2025, even as the returns of the general market have been disappointing. As of the June 20 close, the S&P 500 industrials sector is the best-performing among all 11 in index tracks. S&P 500 Industrials performance is most easily tracked using the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund NYSEARCA: XLI. The fund has pr ...

The U.S. stock market stumbled near all-time highs last week, prompting investors to review the landscape. With conflicts brewing overseas and economic data beginning to weaken, it might be time to once again focus on income over capital appreciation. One area with both strong growth prospects and dividends is the international banking sector, and today we’ll look at three international bank stocks that could help preserve capital if market conditions break down. Get Banco Santander alerts:The End of U.S. E ...

A slew of regional banks just announced substantial new share buyback authorizations. Regional banks are mid-sized to small financial institutions that tend to serve a particular part of the country. The buyback announcements coming from these financial companies signal a level of industry-wide confidence. This use of cash ultimately suggests that these firms believe they are well-capitalized and are in a strong position to use their excess funds to return capital.Get Fifth Third Bancorp alerts:Fifth Third ...

Most investors are now aware of the remarkable rallies that have been locked inside the technology sector of the United States. However, those extraordinary overnight gains have mainly been confined to the artificial intelligence level, with a few exceptions in the semiconductor and chipmaking industries. In today’s market, investors need to start figuring out where the next wave of innovation and excitement might come from. There are arguably three areas of innovation in the global economy, and artificial ...

Core Argument - The centralized internet is facing potential collapse due to infrastructure issues, particularly as demand for computing power increases for machine learning and AI [1][2] Group 1: Infrastructure and Market Dynamics - A new decentralized infrastructure based on blockchain is proposed as a solution to the inefficiencies of centralized systems [2] - Major technology companies like Alphabet, Meta, and Apple may be at risk due to their centralized "walled garden" systems [2] - The emergence of blockchain technology presents an investment opportunity in a new economy, with Bitcoin's price action indicating early stages of this transition [3] Group 2: Company Analysis - NVIDIA - NVIDIA is positioned uniquely in the blockchain space, with a 12-month stock price forecast of $173.69, indicating a 20.48% upside [4] - The company's revenue is primarily driven by AI chips and data centers, but it also plays a role in cryptocurrency mining [5] - Although blockchain currently contributes minimally to NVIDIA's revenue, it is expected to be a critical stock for future investments [5][8] Group 3: Company Analysis - Coinbase - Coinbase is the largest cryptocurrency exchange, with a 12-month stock price forecast of $277.33, reflecting a -9.84% downside [9] - As a centralized exchange, Coinbase faces regulatory scrutiny, which poses risks to its revenue, largely tied to volatile cryptocurrency trading [10] - Despite risks, Coinbase is positioned to play a significant role in the decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape, especially following regulatory developments [11] Group 4: Company Analysis - Riot Platforms - Riot Platforms offers indirect exposure to Bitcoin, with a 12-month stock price forecast of $17.35, suggesting an 87.16% upside [12] - The company operates one of the largest Bitcoin mining fleets, making it a leveraged play on Bitcoin's performance [13] - Riot Platforms could benefit from both price appreciation and clearer policy as Bitcoin gains acceptance [13]

Microsoft Corporation NASDAQ: MSFT stock continues to be a strong performer in 2025. The company continues to deliver revenue and earnings that are higher year-over-year (YOY). However, some of the gains in the stock are due to the company’s efficiency efforts. Microsoft TodayMSFTMicrosoft$486.00 +8.60 (+1.80%) 52-Week Range$344.79▼$487.68Dividend Yield0.68%P/E Ratio37.56Price Target$515.68Add to WatchlistIn June, Microsoft announced its third round of layoffs for 2025, with the cuts scheduled to take effe ...

Core Viewpoint - D-Wave Quantum Inc. faces skepticism from investors due to its limited marketability and reliance on a small customer base, despite a recent revenue of $15 million that exceeded analyst expectations [1] Group 1: Recent Developments - D-Wave announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Yonsei University and Incheon Metropolitan City in South Korea, which could expand its customer base and potential sales of its Advantage2 system [2][3] - The MOU aims to advance mutual research and talent development in quantum computing, positioning Incheon as a potential quantum computing hub in the APAC region [3] Group 2: Market Reaction - Following the MOU announcement, D-Wave shares declined by over 1% in the five trading days leading to June 23, indicating investor uncertainty without concrete financial details or confirmed sales [4] - Quantum computing stocks, including D-Wave, have faced a challenging macro environment, with QBTS shares down about 19% in the last month [6] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - D-Wave has previously made international sales, including an Advantage sale in Germany, and has partnerships in Japan, indicating ongoing efforts to expand globally [5] - Other quantum firms, such as Quantum Computing Inc., have seen stock price increases due to tangible progress, highlighting D-Wave's speculative nature in comparison [7][8] Group 4: Analyst Ratings - D-Wave currently holds a Buy rating among analysts, with a 12-month stock price forecast of $13.57, indicating a potential downside of 6.18% from the current price of $14.47 [7] - Despite the excitement around D-Wave, concerns remain about its lack of production facilities for marketable chips, which could hinder its competitiveness in the evolving quantum computing landscape [8]

Every economic cycle brings about a popularity contest that many legendary investors discuss. The short-term behavior of financial markets often gravitates toward what’s popular and trending among various investment circles, and that usually spreads to the most unexpected areas, including industries and companies themselves. Today, it seems that the world of cryptocurrencies has taken that path, with companies now holding Bitcoin in their balance sheets as part of a completely unrelated strategy relative to ...

Kroger’s NYSE: KR stock price entered an uptrend in early 2024 when it became clear it would emerge from the Albertsons merger talks a winner, regardless of how they turned out. Now, months later, the company is moving forward, growing, generating solid cash flows, and returning capital to shareholders like mad. Kroger TodayKRKroger$72.79 +0.82 (+1.14%) 52-Week Range$49.04▼$73.63Dividend Yield1.76%P/E Ratio19.80Price Target$68.61Add to WatchlistThe takeaway is that these trends are expected to continue, an ...

The Q2 earnings reporting cycle is underway with the peak of the season still to come. It will begin mid-July with the report from JPMorgan Chase & Company NYSE: JPM, making now a good time to take a look at what to expect. The primary takeaway from the Q2 cycle will be the tangible effect of trade relations and tariffs. The bulk of tariffs went into effect in April and June, so the impact will be substantial; the question is whether the market is pricing it in or expecting a worst-case scenario that won’t ...