Core Insights - The artificial intelligence (AI) buildout is ongoing, with significant investments from major companies expected to continue into 2026 and beyond [5][15] - Billionaire hedge fund manager Philippe Laffont has a strong focus on AI stocks, with about one-third of his portfolio allocated to six key AI companies [2][4] Company Holdings - The six AI-focused stocks in Laffont's portfolio include Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Amazon, Nvidia, and Alphabet, collectively representing 32.2% of his total assets [4][6] - Nvidia is highlighted as a key player in the AI infrastructure space, with a reported "sold out" status for cloud GPUs due to high demand [5][8] Market Trends - The demand for AI computing capacity is driving significant capital expenditures, with Nvidia projecting global data center spending to rise from $600 billion in 2025 to between $3 trillion and $4 trillion by 2030 [7][9] - Major companies like Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet are heavily investing in AI computing, viewing these expenditures as essential for future relevance [9][13] Stock Valuation - Meta Platforms is currently valued at 21.8 times next year's earnings, comparable to the S&P 500 index, and is expected to deliver market-beating growth [10][12] - Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft are positioned as long-term winners in cloud computing, benefiting from the increasing demand for generative AI workloads [13]

Core Viewpoint - Nebius Group's stock has experienced significant growth in 2025, with a price increase of approximately 225%, despite a 33% decline from its all-time highs in October [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Nebius was spun out from Yandex, the Russian equivalent of Google, and is now headquartered in Amsterdam, focusing on AI infrastructure [4] - The company provides full-stack capabilities with high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) and has major clients like Meta Platforms and Microsoft, with multi-year contracts [5] Group 2: Financial Performance - Nebius reported a remarkable revenue growth of 355% year-over-year, reaching $146 million in Q3, although it remains unprofitable with a net income loss of $120 million [7][10] - For the full year, Nebius expects revenue between $500 million to $550 million, with a projected annual recurring revenue (ARR) of $900 million to $1.1 billion, indicating strong growth potential [8] - Management anticipates achieving an ARR of $7 billion to $9 billion by the end of 2026, which would be seven times its current ARR [9] Group 3: Market Position and Valuation - Nebius stock is currently valued at nearly 60 times sales, which is considered expensive, especially given its unprofitability [11] - The company's market capitalization stands at $22 billion [12] - The future performance of Nebius stock in 2026 will largely depend on market sentiment towards AI, with potential for significant price movement based on investor confidence [14]

Core Insights - The space economy is presenting significant investment opportunities, with Intuitive Machines (LUNR) gaining attention from growth investors due to its lunar lander projects and other space endeavors [1][3] - Despite Intuitive Machines' recent success, another space stock, Firefly Aerospace (FLY), is highlighted as a more attractive investment option due to its diversification into the defense industry and ongoing lunar missions [5][9] Company Overview: Intuitive Machines - Intuitive Machines specializes in designing and building lunar landers for NASA and has successfully landed its Odysseus Nova-C class lunar lander on the moon, a milestone not achieved by the U.S. since the Apollo 17 mission over 50 years ago [3] - The stock has seen a significant increase of over 70% in the past month, largely driven by KeyBanc's bullish coverage initiation [5] - Current market capitalization stands at $1.8 billion, with a current stock price of $15.25, reflecting a recent decline of 8.74% [4] Company Overview: Firefly Aerospace - Firefly Aerospace, which went public in August, is also focused on lunar operations, with plans for its "Blue Ghost lander" to conduct annual missions to the moon [5] - The company received a $176.7 million award from NASA for a Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract, indicating strong future revenue potential [5] - Firefly's market capitalization is currently $3.7 billion, with a stock price of $23.34, although it has experienced a decline of over 42% since its IPO [6][9] Strategic Developments - Firefly Aerospace is diversifying into the defense sector, having completed an $855 million acquisition of SciTec, a company specializing in space domain awareness and missile defense systems [7] - A partnership with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions was announced for the development of hypersonic capabilities, further enhancing Firefly's position in the defense industry [8] - The combination of lunar ambitions and defense diversification positions Firefly as a potentially more advanced investment compared to Intuitive Machines [9]

Core Insights - The Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) includes both U.S. and international equities, while the Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) focuses solely on non-U.S. stocks, leading to differences in returns, yield, and sector exposure [1][2]. Cost & Size Comparison - VT has an expense ratio of 0.06% and a 1-year return of 15.2% with a dividend yield of 1.7% [3] - VXUS has a slightly lower expense ratio of 0.05% and a higher 1-year return of 22.7% with a dividend yield of 2.7% [3][4]. Performance & Risk Metrics - Over the past five years, VT experienced a maximum drawdown of 26.38%, while VXUS had a higher drawdown of 29.44% [5]. - An investment of $1,000 in VT would have grown to $1,520, compared to $1,247 for VXUS over the same period [5]. Portfolio Composition - VXUS provides exposure to 8,663 international stocks, with top holdings including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Tencent, and ASML [6]. - VT encompasses 9,957 stocks, with major positions in Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, reflecting significant U.S. tech sector representation [7][10]. Investment Implications - The choice between VT and VXUS depends on the investor's desire for U.S. exposure in their global holdings, with VT being suitable for comprehensive global exposure and VXUS for adding international diversification to existing U.S. investments [8][11].

Core Insights - The iShares SP Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF (IJJ) and Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR) are both value-oriented ETFs targeting U.S. stocks trading below their estimated worth, but they differ in their focus on mid-cap versus small-cap companies [2][8] Cost and Size Comparison - IJJ has an expense ratio of 0.18% and assets under management (AUM) of $8.0 billion, while VBR has a lower expense ratio of 0.07% and significantly larger AUM of $59.6 billion [3][4][9] - VBR offers nearly triple the number of holdings compared to IJJ, with 840 stocks versus IJJ's 309 [3][6] Performance and Risk Metrics - Over the past year, IJJ returned 7.6% while VBR returned 8.06% [3] - The maximum drawdown over five years for IJJ is -22.68%, compared to VBR's -24.19% [5] Portfolio Composition - VBR's largest sector exposures are in industrials (19%), financial services (18%), and consumer cyclicals (13%), indicating broad diversification [6] - IJJ focuses more on mid-cap value stocks, with significant weights in financial services (19%), industrials (15%), and consumer cyclicals (12%) [7] Investment Implications - Cost-conscious value investors may prefer VBR due to its lower fees and broader small-cap exposure, while those seeking a smoother investment experience might opt for IJJ's mid-cap focus, accepting higher costs for potentially reduced volatility [10][11]

iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (SLVP) and VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) differ most on assets under management (AUM), liquidity, and their focus on silver versus gold mining companies.Both iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (SLVP +2.95%) and VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX +1.77%) offer exposure to precious metals miners, but their approaches and portfolios set them apart. SLVP is a narrower, silver-centric exchange-traded fund (ETF), while GDX provides broader access to global go ...

Core Viewpoint - AMD's management is optimistic about its future in the data center market, aiming for significant growth despite current challenges in competing with Nvidia [1][4]. Group 1: Market Performance and Projections - AMD has outperformed Nvidia in 2025, with an 80% increase compared to Nvidia's 35% [2]. - AMD's data center revenue rose 22% year over year to $4.3 billion in Q3 2025, while Nvidia's data center revenue reached $51.2 billion, up 66% year over year [5]. - AMD's management projects a 60% CAGR for its data center division over the next five years, exceeding the 38% CAGR needed for a fivefold return [9]. Group 2: Competitive Position and Opportunities - AMD's ROCm software downloads increased tenfold year over year as of November 2025, indicating potential for competitive growth against Nvidia [4]. - Nvidia's current supply issues with cloud GPUs may lead clients to seek alternatives, positioning AMD as a viable option due to its lower price point [7]. - A recent agreement with the U.S. government allows AMD to export downgraded GPUs to China, which could significantly boost AMD's revenue in the long run [8]. Group 3: Profitability and Growth Potential - AMD's overall CAGR is projected at 35%, slightly below the required 38% for a fivefold return, due to slower growth in its consumer hardware and embedded processor divisions, which are expected to grow at 10% CAGR [9]. - Improving profit margins to the 15% to 20% range could double profits from revenue, providing an additional growth lever for AMD [12]. - If AMD can achieve both revenue growth and improved profit margins, it may surpass the necessary CAGR for substantial stock returns [10][12].

These companies have become cheaper on a per-share basis in the last few years, but that's not why investors should take a second look.A stock split is a corporate action where a company divides its existing shares into multiple new shares, which increases the total share count while proportionally decreasing the price per share. This can make the stock more affordable and liquid for investors without changing the total market value of the company or an investor's stake.Plenty of stocks have initiated split ...

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket" is a proverb as old as time.One concept that has proven itself time and again is the importance of diversification. You should want companies in different industries, of different sizes, and in different geographical locations. With the U.S. being home to so many world-class companies, the latter can sometimes get overlooked.A truly diversified portfolio should include international stocks, even if it's only a small portion. That's why the Schwab International Equity ...

Core Insights - High dividend yields are attractive but must be supported by quality businesses to avoid yield traps [3][10][16] Group 1: Realty Income - Realty Income has a dividend yield of approximately 5.8% and a history of over 56 years of consistent monthly payments [5][6] - The company reported adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) per share of $1.08 and total revenue of $1.47 billion in Q3 2025, reflecting an 11% year-over-year increase [7] - Realty Income has a diversified portfolio of over 15,500 properties leased to more than 1,600 clients across nearly 100 industries, with a high portfolio occupancy rate of 98.7% [8][9] Group 2: Pfizer - Pfizer offers a dividend yield of around 6.8% and has increased its payout annually for 16 consecutive years [10][11] - The company generated $14 billion in free cash flow over the last 12 months and reported total revenues of $63.6 billion for 2024, a 7% operational increase from 2023 [12] - Pfizer's strategic acquisitions, including a pivotal $43 billion acquisition of Seagen, are expected to enhance its oncology portfolio significantly [12][14] Group 3: Verizon - Verizon's dividend yield is just shy of 7%, with a history of raising its dividend for over 21 consecutive years [16][20] - The company reported total operating revenue of $33.8 billion in Q3 2025, a 1.5% year-over-year increase, and free cash flow rose to $15.8 billion [17][18] - Verizon is undergoing a major restructuring, including layoffs of over 13,000 non-union employees, to address competition and improve its financial position [20][21]