Core Viewpoint - The healthcare sector, particularly dividend-paying stocks like Amgen and Merck, presents solid investment opportunities due to their non-cyclical nature and consistent revenue generation even in challenging economic conditions [1][2]. Group 1: Amgen - Amgen is a leading biotech company with a diverse portfolio of over two dozen products, many of which are blockbuster drugs generating over $1 billion in annual sales [4]. - The company reported a 9% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2, reaching $9.2 billion, with non-GAAP earnings per share at $6.02, a 21% increase from the previous year [6]. - Amgen faces patent cliffs and biosimilar competition but has strong growth drivers, including Tezspire for asthma, which saw a 46% year-over-year sales increase to $342 million [7][8]. - The company has a robust dividend profile with a forward yield of 3.4%, having increased its payouts annually since 2011 [9]. Group 2: Merck - Merck is experiencing increased competition for its cancer drug Keytruda, with patent exclusivity expiring in 2028, and has faced declining sales in its vaccine franchise due to paused shipments in China [10][11]. - In Q2, Merck's revenue declined by 2% year-over-year to $15.8 billion [11]. - The company is developing a subcutaneous version of Keytruda to extend its patent life and has received approval for new products like Winrevair for pulmonary arterial hypertension [12][13]. - Merck's forward yield is currently at 3.9%, with an 88.8% increase in dividends over the past decade, making it an attractive option for dividend investors despite current challenges [15].

Core Insights - Nvidia has evolved from a gaming company to a leader in AI and cryptocurrency markets, with gaming now contributing less than 10% of its revenue [2][15] - The company's GPUs are designed for parallel processing, enabling efficient handling of large tasks simultaneously, which has been pivotal in its success [4][5] Company Evolution - Nvidia was founded in 1993 and launched its first GPU in 1999, coinciding with its public offering [1] - The introduction of CUDA in 2006 allowed Nvidia's GPUs to be utilized beyond graphics, enhancing their application in various computing tasks [5][6] Cryptocurrency Involvement - Nvidia's GPUs became popular for Bitcoin mining, which began in 2009, as miners sought more powerful devices to increase profitability [9][11] - The company faced legal challenges regarding its disclosure of revenue from crypto mining, resulting in a $5.5 million fine in 2022 [10] AI Leadership - Nvidia's GPUs have been instrumental in AI development since 2011, with significant milestones including the success of AlexNet in 2012 [12] - The company's financial performance has surged, reporting over 50% year-over-year revenue growth for nine consecutive quarters, with $46.7 billion in revenue for Q2 of fiscal year 2026 [14]

The price of gold, already at a record, could fly much higher.Do you think the price of gold can't possibly go any higher this year? Think again. Gold is having a banner year. The price of the yellow metal is up 39% year to date. And it seems to be picking up momentum -- it soared 8% over the past month. What's driving the ascent?Several factors, in fact. First, gold is a traditional safe haven that investors flock to in times of stress. Now is one of those times. Concerns about geopolitical tensions, stubb ...

Core Insights - Nvidia is a leading company in the AI ecosystem and has a multibillion-dollar stock portfolio that invests in AI stocks, including Nebius Group [1][2] - Nebius recently secured a significant multiyear deal with Microsoft, valued between $17.4 billion and $19.4 billion, which has positively impacted its stock price [6][8] - Nebius is expected to achieve an annual revenue run rate of $900 million to $1.1 billion by the end of this year, with potential revenue from the Microsoft deal reaching $2.9 billion annually from 2026 to 2031 [7][9] Company Overview - Nebius, which began trading on Nasdaq in October 2024, was formed from assets previously owned by Yandex and is now headquartered in Amsterdam [3][5] - The company operates data centers designed for AI applications and is equipped with Nvidia's latest GPUs, positioning it similarly to other successful AI data center companies [5][10] - Nebius has a solid financial position with $1.68 billion in cash and equivalents and a debt-to-equity ratio of 26% [10] Market Reaction - Following the announcement of the Microsoft deal, Nebius shares surged by nearly 50% [6] - Analysts have responded positively, with BWS Financial raising the price target for Nebius shares from $90 to $130, indicating significant upside potential [8] Future Prospects - Nebius is exploring additional deals, which could further enhance its revenue potential [7][10] - The company has stakes in various businesses, including autonomous driving and robotics, indicating a diversified growth strategy [11]

Group 1 - Tesla has successfully brought electric vehicles (EVs) to the mainstream, disrupting the global auto market with its high-performance offerings [1] - The company's stock has seen significant growth, with shares increasing by 185% over the past five years, turning a $500 investment into $1,424 [4] - Investors are optimistic about Tesla's future potential in autonomous driving and robotics, which could further enhance its financial performance [5] Group 2 - Despite the impressive historical returns, Tesla's current stock price reflects a high price-to-earnings ratio of 201, indicating potential overvaluation [6] - The company is facing challenges, including declining revenue and a decrease in market share of new EV sales in the U.S., which is at its lowest since 2017 [6] - The outlook for the next five years may not be as favorable as the previous five, raising concerns among investors [7]

Without a big overhang of uncertainty, these two stocks are free to keep climbing higher.Big tech stocks produced some of the biggest gains in the current bull market, which dates back to October 2022.Nvidia, already an industry giant with a market cap around $300 billion at the start of the bull market has seen its value climb more than 14-fold in just a few years to become the first $4 trillion company. That growth was driven by massive spending on artificial intelligence and investor excitement about the ...

The software giant's backlog stunned Wall Street.When I visited the Silicon Valley headquarters of Oracle (ORCL -5.05%) 25 years ago as a young technology reporter, I was dumbstruck.The stunning campus of glistening emerald towers surrounding a placid lake looked positively otherworldly to me, something akin to the Emerald City of Oz that summoned Dorothy and her ragtag gang in The Wizard of Oz. "This place looks like the future," I kept thinking.The enterprise software firm has since relocated to Texas, bu ...

Core Insights - The AI stock market is experiencing momentum despite concerns about sustainability, with three companies identified as strong investment opportunities for the remainder of the year [1][2] Group 1: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) - TSMC is the world's leading semiconductor manufacturer, holding a 67% revenue share of the foundry market as of last year, making it a key player in the AI chip production landscape [4][6] - The company is expected to grow earnings by an average of 21% annually over the next three to five years, with the stock trading at 25 times this year's earnings estimates, indicating potential for further upside [8] - TSMC's strong performance is driven by significant investments in data centers, with trillions of dollars projected to flow into this sector over the next five years [7] Group 2: Alphabet (GOOG) - Alphabet has gained investor confidence following a favorable antitrust ruling that allows it to retain its Chrome browser, which is crucial for its digital advertising strategy [9][10] - The company generated $67 billion in free cash flow over the last 12 months and has $95 billion in liquidity, providing it with substantial investment flexibility [12] - Alphabet's stock is seen as undervalued compared to its peers, with a P/E ratio of 25, and it is expected to benefit from ongoing investments in AI capabilities and share repurchases [11][13][14] Group 3: AppLovin - AppLovin is leveraging AI to enhance its digital advertising platform, with its Axon 2 AI engine launched in 2023 driving significant financial growth [15][16] - The company reported $1.26 billion in revenue for the most recent quarter, a 77% increase year-over-year, and a net income of $0.8 billion, up 164% [16] - Despite a high price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 37, AppLovin's stock has surged 75% year-to-date and 2,000% since 2022, indicating strong market performance [17][18]

Without Broadcom and Oracle, the "Magnificent Seven" is no longer a good representation of the market's leading growth stocks.Broadcom (AVGO 0.19%) and Oracle (ORCL -5.09%) just delivered exceptional earnings reports and guidance that sent both tech stocks to all-time highs. Over the last five years, Broadcom is up over 925% and Oracle is up over 475% -- outperforming every "Magnificent Seven" stock (Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Tesla) except one -- Nvidia.The "Ten Titans" provide an ...

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses three high-risk, high-potential growth stocks that may offer significant returns for investors willing to take risks [2]. Group 1: IonQ - IonQ is focused on making quantum computing practical for organizations, delivering systems to various sectors including government and enterprise [4]. - The company utilizes trapped ions for qubits, which are more stable and have lower error rates compared to artificial qubits used by competitors [5][6]. - IonQ has developed software and tools to enhance the usability of its quantum systems and has partnerships with major companies like AstraZeneca and Amazon, showing promising results in drug discovery with up to a 20x improvement in workflows [7]. - The company has $1.6 billion in cash and no debt, positioning it well for future growth in the quantum computing space [8]. Group 2: SoundHound AI - SoundHound AI has transformed into a leader in voice and agentic AI, utilizing a speech-to-meaning engine that understands natural language [9]. - The acquisition of Amelia has expanded its reach into healthcare and financial services, integrating technologies into the Amelia 7.0 platform [10]. - The company reported a 217% revenue increase to $42.7 million in the last quarter and aims for adjusted EBITDA profitability by the end of 2025 [12]. - SoundHound's unique voice-first technology could position it as a leader in agentic AI, offering significant potential for growth [13]. Group 3: AppLovin - AppLovin has seen over 500% growth in stock performance over the past year and has transitioned to a pure-play adtech platform with its Axon 2.0 AI engine [14][15]. - The company reported a 77% revenue increase to $1.26 billion, with adjusted EBITDA nearly doubling to $1 billion, indicating strong profitability [15]. - Management anticipates a 20% to 30% revenue growth in the gaming sector and is expanding its platform to e-commerce and web-based ads, which could broaden its customer base [16]. - Despite facing short-selling pressure, AppLovin continues to deliver strong quarterly results, suggesting further upside potential if its platform proves effective beyond gaming [17].