Core Viewpoint - The artificial intelligence (AI) boom is thriving, as evidenced by the latest earnings reports from major tech companies like Amazon and Alphabet, which indicate strong growth in their cloud computing segments driven by AI investments [1][2][3]. Company Summaries Amazon - Amazon's Q4 sales increased by 14% year over year to $213.4 billion, with its cloud computing segment, Amazon Web Services (AWS), reporting a 24% revenue growth to $35.6 billion, marking the fastest growth in 13 quarters [5][7]. - The company also saw broad-based financial momentum, with advertising revenue rising 23% to $21.3 billion, subscription services revenue increasing 14% to $13.1 billion, third-party seller services revenue up 11% to $52.8 billion, and online stores revenue climbing 10% to $83.0 billion [8]. - Amazon anticipates a strong long-term return on invested capital from approximately $200 billion in capital expenditures by 2026 [9]. Alphabet - Alphabet's Q4 revenue grew by 18% year over year, with its cloud computing segment, Google Cloud, experiencing a significant 48% revenue increase, up from 34% growth in Q3 [11]. - Despite its faster growth, Alphabet's business is more concentrated in advertising, with over 72% of its total Q4 revenue of about $114 billion coming from this segment [11]. - Alphabet's cloud business, while smaller in overall revenue contribution, is growing at a much faster rate compared to Amazon's, and the company benefits from higher-margin revenue streams [12]. Investment Considerations - Both Amazon and Alphabet are similarly valued, with Amazon's price-to-earnings ratio at 28.6 and Alphabet's at 28.1, making Alphabet a potentially higher-reward option due to its faster growth rate in cloud computing [14]. - Investors with a lower risk tolerance may prefer Amazon due to its more established business model, while those seeking higher returns might lean towards Alphabet [14].

Group 1: Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett's Legacy - Warren Buffett has stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway but remains chairman of the board, with his investment legacy continuing through the company's equities portfolio [1] - Berkshire Hathaway is known for its long-term investment strategy, suggesting that stocks chosen by Buffett will likely remain in the portfolio for many years [2] - In his final years as CEO, Buffett sold 29% of Berkshire's stake in Bank of America while increasing investments in Domino's Pizza for four consecutive quarters [2][4] Group 2: Bank of America and Market Performance - Despite selling a portion of its Bank of America holdings, the bank remains one of Berkshire's top positions, being the third-largest in the portfolio by the end of Q3 2025 [4] - Large bank stocks have recently performed well, but there are growing concerns about valuations, leading to a sell-off in this subsector as 2026 begins [5] Group 3: Domino's Pizza Investment - Berkshire Hathaway purchased approximately $1.3 billion worth of Domino's Pizza stock by the end of Q3 2025, despite the company's stock being down over 21% in the past year due to competition and inflation [6][8] - Domino's Pizza is recognized for its resilience, benefiting from the recession-proof nature of pizza and its ability to capture market share [9] - The company is tech-forward with a well-designed app and delivery system, and management plans to improve performance through value offerings, new menu items, and a focus on profitable growth [9]

Core Viewpoint - The recent decline in software stocks is attributed to valuation risk rather than fears of AI disruption, which may be an excuse for the sell-off [3][6][13]. Group 1: Market Performance - Many popular software stocks, including Palantir Technologies, Adobe, Salesforce, and ServiceNow, have seen declines of approximately 22% to 30% year-to-date in 2026 [2]. - Despite strong financial results and AI being a potential growth catalyst, these stocks have faced significant sell-offs [2][4]. Group 2: Valuation Risk - The concept of valuation risk suggests that stocks trading at high valuations may be subject to market corrections, even if their underlying fundamentals remain strong [7]. - The S&P 500's rise of 78% from 2023 to the end of 2025 has led to many investors being unfamiliar with the implications of valuation risk [7]. Group 3: Company-Specific Insights - Palantir's stock has increased over 80% since the beginning of 2025, with a price-to-sales ratio expanding by over 20% to 75, despite a 22% decline year-to-date [9]. - Adobe, Salesforce, and ServiceNow have also outperformed the S&P 500 over the past 15 years, despite recent declines [10]. Group 4: Broader Market Trends - Other software companies, such as Snowflake, CrowdStrike, and Shopify, exhibit high price-to-sales multiples (14, 23, and 13 respectively), raising concerns about their valuations given their current financial performance [12]. - The overall sell-off in software stocks may reflect a more discerning investor approach to evaluating competitive advantages and sustainability [13].

Core Viewpoint - CubeSmart has underperformed compared to its peers and the market over the past decade, indicating a need for strategic changes to improve its competitive position in the self-storage industry [1][11]. Industry Overview - The self-storage industry has faced challenges due to increased supply from low interest rates post-pandemic, which has negatively impacted occupancy levels and rental rates [4]. - Recent signs indicate a potential recovery in the self-storage market, with CubeSmart reporting its first year-over-year increase in move-in rates since early 2022 [5]. Company Performance - CubeSmart is the third-largest self-storage REIT in the U.S., with a market share of 4.9%, significantly trailing behind Extra Space Storage (14.4%) and Public Storage (11.2%) [7][8]. - The company has struggled to differentiate itself from larger competitors, which have more effective growth strategies, such as Extra Space Storage's third-party management platform and Public Storage's in-house development program [8]. Growth Strategies - CubeSmart is exploring joint ventures to enhance growth, including a recent $250 million partnership with CBRE Investment Management aimed at high-growth markets [10]. - The company has $900 million invested across existing joint ventures, which could help accelerate its growth rate in the future [10].

This tech giant has an interesting future.For the last few decades, Micron Technology (MU +5.21%) has been a laggard in the U.S. technology industry -- struggling to surpass the highs it achieved during the dot-com bubble in 2000. However, everything changed with the arrival of generative artificial intelligence (AI), which has led to a surge in demand for its high-bandwidth memory chips (HBM).The new demand has sent Micron's shares up 330% in the last 12 months alone. And the rally is expected to continue ...

Core Viewpoint - Brighthouse Financial has agreed to be acquired by Aquarian Capital for $70 per share in cash, which is the primary focus for investors at this time [5]. Group 1: Company Overview - Brighthouse Financial, spun off from MetLife in 2017, operates in the life insurance sector, collecting premiums upfront and investing the cash, known as float [2][4]. - The company has experienced volatility in revenue and earnings, particularly impacted by increasing death rates during the coronavirus pandemic [4]. Group 2: Acquisition Details - The acquisition deal has been approved by shareholders but awaits final regulatory approval [5]. - The current stock price is approximately $64 per share, indicating a potential gain of about 9% for investors if they purchase shares now, given the acquisition price of $70 [6]. Group 3: Investment Perspective - The significant spread between the current stock price and the acquisition price suggests that Brighthouse Financial may be undervalued as an investment [6]. - There is a notable risk that the acquisition could fall through, which would likely result in the stock price declining to around $48, representing a 25% drop [7]. - The stock price is currently influenced by emotions and news, indicating that only aggressive investors should consider buying in, with a strong belief in the completion of the acquisition [8].

Core Insights - Hycroft Mining is experiencing a significant increase in its stock price, with a rise of 25.9% as of 3:05 p.m. ET, reversing a previous pullback that began in late January [1] - The primary driver of this increase is the independent mineral resource estimate indicating that the company has more gold and silver in its Nevada mine than previously believed [2][3] Group 1: Resource Estimates - An independent mineral resource estimate shows that "measured and indicated" gold and silver resources have increased by 55% compared to earlier estimates from 2023 [3] - Inferred gold resources have grown by 50%, while inferred silver resources have expanded by 38% [3] - The total resource value is conservatively estimated to exceed $50 billion at current market prices [3] Group 2: Recovery Rates - Metallurgical testing indicates that nearly 83% of the gold can be recovered using conventional methods, and over 77% of the silver is expected to be marketable [5] Group 3: Production Timeline and Costs - It may take years for Hycroft to produce significant amounts of gold or silver, with costs potentially reaching billions [6] - There is no guarantee that the company will achieve profitable production in the near future [6] Group 4: Market Sensitivity - Precious metals mining stocks, including Hycroft, are closely linked to the prices of gold and silver, which may decline from recent peaks [7] - A weakening U.S. dollar has contributed to recent gains in precious metal prices, which could negatively impact Hycroft's stock price if these trends reverse [7]

It can be a one-stop shop for people wanting broad exposure.Many of the world's top companies are headquartered in the U.S., but there are plenty of worthwhile companies across the globe. That's why it's helpful to invest in international stocks to achieve a truly diversified portfolio.My preferred way to invest in international companies is through an international ETF, such as the Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS +0.24%). If you're interested in investing in an international ETF and considerin ...

Core Viewpoint - SoFi Technologies faced significant challenges in January 2026, primarily due to a capital raise that led to stock dilution, impacting shareholder value and stock performance [6][11]. Company Overview - SoFi Technologies was established in 2011, initially focusing on student loan refinancing and later expanding into various financial products [1]. - The company went public in 2021, still largely recognized as a student loan provider [1]. Financial Challenges - The suspension of federal student loan payments and interest accrual from March 2020 to September 2023 resulted in SoFi losing an estimated $300 million to $400 million in revenue and $150 million to $200 million in profit during that period [2]. - SoFi's stock has experienced volatility, spending most of its time below its initial public offering price of $22.65 [3]. Recent Developments - In January 2026, SoFi's stock dropped by 17% following the announcement of a $1.5 billion stock offering priced at $27.50 per share, which diluted existing shares and created selling pressure [6][7]. - The current stock price is $19.51, with a market capitalization of $25 billion [8][9]. Future Outlook - For Q1 2026, SoFi expects a net income of $160 million, representing a 125% increase from Q1 2025, and a projected net income of $825 million for the entire year, a 72% increase from 2025 [10]. - The current price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio is 1.51, indicating that SoFi is technically overvalued relative to its expected earnings growth, although this ratio is more modest compared to previous quarters [10][12]. - Selling pressure may persist in the near term, but if SoFi effectively utilizes its new capital and meets or exceeds expectations, the outlook for 2026 could improve [11].

Core Insights - Quantum computing stocks, particularly IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave, have seen extraordinary returns, with trailing 12-month gains ranging from 670% to 6,217% [2] - The technology is expected to create significant economic value, with estimates ranging from $450 billion to $850 billion by 2040, and a $1 trillion addressable opportunity by 2035 [7] Company Performance - Insiders at IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave have sold approximately $615 million more in shares than they have purchased over the past year, indicating potential concerns about stock valuation [14][20] - IonQ's market cap stands at $12 billion, while Rigetti's is at $5.1 billion, reflecting their positions in the market [13][16] Market Trends - The rise of quantum computing has been fueled by significant investments, including JPMorgan Chase's $1.5 trillion Security and Resiliency Initiative, which identifies quantum computing as a key area for future financing [8] - Major companies like Amazon are already utilizing quantum computing through services like Braket, which enhances the credibility and market presence of IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave [9] Insider Activity - No insiders at Rigetti have purchased shares in the past year, while D-Wave had minimal insider buying, suggesting a lack of confidence in stock valuation [17] - In contrast, two directors at IonQ have invested approximately $2.1 million in their own company, indicating some level of confidence [17] Industry Outlook - Quantum computing is still in its early commercialization stages, and historical trends suggest that new technologies often face significant challenges and corrections during their growth phases [19] - Analysts caution that the high price-to-sales ratios of quantum computing stocks may not reflect their long-term potential, as the technology is still being optimized for practical applications [18]