Market Overview - The U.S. stock market is closing 2025 on a cautious note, with major index futures edging lower, extending a three-session losing streak, and hopes for a year-end "Santa Claus" rally fading [1] - Despite the recent pullback, 2025 has been a remarkable year for equities, with the S&P 500 poised for its third consecutive year of double-digit gains [1] Premarket Trading and Futures Movements - As of early Wednesday, U.S. stock futures indicated a softer open, with Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.43%, S&P 500 futures down 0.28%, and Dow Jones futures down 0.14% [2] - The S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones all finished slightly lower on Tuesday, marking the third consecutive day of losses [2] Commodities Market - Crude oil futures were trading lower by 0.38%, around $57.72 per barrel, while Gold Spot was down 0.35% to approximately $4,324.59 per ounce [3] Major Market Indexes Performance - The S&P 500 is on track for an annual gain of 17-18%, the Dow Jones has advanced 13-14%, and the Nasdaq Composite has jumped nearly 21% in 2025 [4] - This performance marks the S&P 500's third consecutive year of double-digit returns, a rare achievement since the 1940s [4] Federal Reserve Outlook - The Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates in 2026, with uncertainty regarding the extent and pace due to internal divisions and mixed economic data [6] - The FOMC approved a quarter-point reduction in December 2025, bringing the main interest rate to a range between 3.5% and 3.75% [6] - Inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target, with unemployment rising to 4.6% in November and only 64,000 jobs added [6] Corporate Developments - Vanda Pharmaceuticals shares surged over 18% after receiving FDA approval for its drug NEREUS [13] - Nike shares rose 1.54% following CEO Elliott Hill's purchase of approximately $1 million in company shares [13] - Nvidia's stock surged approximately 180% in 2025, driven by robust demand for AI chips, with ByteDance planning to increase spending on Nvidia's AI chips to around $14 billion in 2026 [13] - Urgent.ly Inc. shares rose significantly after the adjournment of its annual stockholder meeting [13] - Applied Digital announced a proposed merger with EKSO Bionics, leading to a 40% surge in EKSO shares [13] - FONAR Corporation shares surged 28.4% after confirming its acquisition by an insider-led group [13] - Society Pass Incorporated shares jumped 16.4% following a newly priced public offering [13] - Palantir and Tesla saw their shares decline amidst concerns about technology giants' capital expenditures [13] - Boeing shares advanced 0.6% after being awarded an $8.58 billion contract by the Defense Department [13] - Meta Platforms shares ended up 1.1% following its acquisition of an AI startup for over $2 billion [13]

Core Viewpoint - Applied Digital Corp (NASDAQ: APLD) plans to spin off its cloud business and merge with Ekso Bionics (EKSO) to form a new entity called "ChronoScale" [1] Group 1: Company Performance - APLD shares have experienced volatility, dropping from a 20-year high of $40.20 on October 16 to around $24.83, with recent trading near breakeven [2] - Since the beginning of the year, APLD's stock has increased by 225% [2] Group 2: Market Dynamics - The stock of Ekso Bionics (EKSO) has surged by 94.1%, reaching $10.60 [1] - Short interest in APLD is significant, representing 33.5% of the available float, indicating a high level of bearish sentiment [4] - It would take approximately three days for short sellers to cover their positions based on APLD's average trading volume [4]

Core Viewpoint - Applied Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:APLD) is implementing a new corporate strategy that involves spinning off its cloud computing business, which has positively impacted its stock performance, leading to a 3.16% increase in share price to $24.81 [1][5]. Group 1: Corporate Strategy - Applied Digital Corp. will separate its cloud computing segment by merging it with EKSO Bionics Holdings Inc., creating a new entity focused on AI workloads called ChronoScale [2][3]. - The new company, ChronoScale, will be primarily dedicated to an accelerated compute platform for AI, with Applied Digital retaining a 97% ownership stake [3]. Group 2: Market Context - The transaction is designed to address the growing demand for GPU-accelerated cloud infrastructure, aiming to provide high-performance computing solutions in a capacity-constrained market [4]. - By separating the accelerated compute platform from its data center operations, Applied Digital aims to allow both businesses to scale independently and pursue distinct growth strategies [5].

Core Insights - Mr. Mavroudis is a professional portfolio manager with a focus on risk management and financial market analysis [1] - He has successfully navigated major crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic [1] - Mr. Mavroudis is the CEO of FAST FINANCE Investment Services, a registered Greek company [1] Professional Background - Mr. Mavroudis holds multiple degrees, including an MSc in Financial and Banking Management, an LLM in Law, and a BSc in Economics [1] - He is a certified portfolio manager and has various certifications related to financial instruments and derivatives [1] - He has published three books on investments and contributes articles to reputable financial media [1] Engagement and Community - By writing on Seeking Alpha, Mr. Mavroudis aims to engage with a community of investors and market enthusiasts [1] - His goal is to foster mutual growth and knowledge sharing within the investment community [1]

Group 1 - Applied Digital (APLD.US) shares surged over 30% following the announcement of a spin-off of its cloud computing business and a non-binding agreement to merge with EKSO [1] - The new entity resulting from the merger will operate under the name "ChronoScale Corporation," with Applied Digital retaining approximately 97% ownership post-transaction [1] - The proposed transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026 [1] Group 2 - EKSO Bionics' stock closed at $7.110, reflecting a 30.22% increase [2] - The trading volume for EKSO was 2.8552 million shares, with a market capitalization of $14.32 million [2] - The stock reached a 52-week high of $14.975 and a low of $2.730, indicating significant volatility [2]

Core Insights - Applied Digital is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing global demand for AI infrastructure, with shares rising over 236% in 2025 [1] - Analysts, including Roth MKM's Darren Aftahi, are optimistic about the stock's future, raising the target price from $43 to $56 while maintaining a buy rating [2] Company Developments - Applied Digital has fully contracted its 400 megawatts of data center capacity at the Polaris Forge 1 campus with CoreWeave under a long-term lease valued at approximately $11 billion over 15 years [4] - The company plans to expand capacity at the Polaris Forge 1 campus beyond one gigawatt from 2028 to 2030 as additional electricity becomes available [4] - The first 100-megawatt building at the Polaris Forge 1 campus is now operational, marking a shift from construction to recurring revenue generation, with expected annual net operating income (NOI) of $0.5 billion from the CoreWeave lease once fully ramped [6] Future Outlook - The Polaris Forge 2 campus, with a capacity of 300 megawatts, is expected to begin operations in late 2026, with a $5 billion, 15-year lease already signed for 200 megawatts, indicating low risk of unsold capacity [7] - The company aims to achieve a long-term target of a $1 billion NOI run rate within the next five years as both Polaris Forge 1 and Forge 2 ramp up operations [7] - With AI-ready data center capacity and the primary bottleneck in AI infrastructure being GPUs, Applied Digital is well-positioned to benefit from sustained demand from hyperscalers and strong long-term cash flow visibility [8]

Core Viewpoint - Applied Digital and EKSO Bionics announced a proposed business combination to form ChronoScale Corporation, aimed at creating a focused GPU platform for next-generation AI workloads, addressing the growing demand for GPU-accelerated cloud infrastructure [1][2]. Group 1: Proposed Transaction Details - The proposed transaction involves merging Applied Digital's cloud computing business with EKSO, resulting in ChronoScale, which will focus on delivering high-performance compute solutions tailored for AI workloads [1][2]. - Upon completion, Applied Digital is expected to own approximately 97% of the combined entity, with both Applied Digital Cloud and EKSO continuing to operate independently [3]. Group 2: Strategic Rationale - The separation of the accelerated compute platform from Applied Digital's data center operations will allow both businesses to scale independently and pursue distinct growth strategies [2]. - ChronoScale is designed for customers needing predictable performance and rapid deployment, without the limitations of generic cloud environments [2]. Group 3: Financial Performance - Applied Digital Cloud generated approximately $75.2 million in revenue over the twelve months ending August 31, 2025, indicating strong demand for dedicated accelerated compute services [4]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The proposed transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, pending customary due diligence and regulatory approvals [6]. - ChronoScale aims to leverage Applied Digital's existing infrastructure to enhance deployment timelines and reduce execution risks as GPU demand increases [5].

Company Overview - Symbotic is an automation technology company that provides AI-powered, end-to-end robotic warehouse solutions, initially focused on optimizing supply chain logistics for retailers and wholesalers [4] - The company generates ongoing revenue through software maintenance, support fees, and operational assistance for deployed hardware [1] Revenue Drivers - The primary revenue driver for Symbotic is the sale of modular, end-to-end automation systems, often integrated into large distribution centers for major clients like Walmart, Target, and Albertsons [2] - Symbotic's contracted backlog is approximately $22.5 billion, representing about 10 times its annual sales, providing exceptional revenue visibility for years to come [9] Market Expansion - Symbotic is expanding into a service-based model through its GreenBox warehouse-as-a-service joint venture with SoftBank, offering automated warehousing to smaller companies [1] - The company has recently entered the healthcare vertical through a client relationship with Medline, potentially opening new market opportunities [2] Financial Performance - Symbotic reported full-year 2025 revenue growth of 26%, reaching nearly $2.3 billion [9] - The company experienced a significant turnaround in free cash flow, reporting about $788 million in the recent fiscal year compared to a negative free cash flow of $102.45 million in the prior year [10] Manufacturing Strategy - Symbotic outsources the manufacturing of its robot components to established automotive suppliers, allowing rapid scaling without the capital intensity of owning large-scale factories [3]

Core Insights - The SEC requires companies with over $100 million in stock holdings to report these to the SEC quarterly, with public disclosures made 45 days after the quarter ends [1] - Investors often use this information to inform their own investment decisions, gaining insights into what leading investors are buying and selling [2] Company Focus: Nvidia - Nvidia is currently the world's largest company, known for its leading graphics processing units (GPUs), which provide significant insights into the AI industry [3] - Due to its substantial profits, Nvidia has begun investing in other companies with growth potential, which could present opportunities for investors [4] Investment Highlights - At the end of Q3, Nvidia held shares in six publicly traded companies, with Applied Digital and Nebius Group being particularly noteworthy for potential investments in 2026 [5] - Nvidia owns approximately 7.7 million shares of Applied Digital, representing about 2.8% of the company, which is involved in the data center construction boom [6][7] - Applied Digital's stock price increased by 238% in 2025, driven by 15-year leases with AI companies, indicating strong future potential despite current unprofitability [8]

Core Viewpoint - Applied Digital is positioned as a key player in the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) by designing and operating data centers that cater to the high computing demands of AI technology. The company's share price has increased by 263% in 2025, indicating strong market interest and potential for continued growth in 2026 [1]. Financial Performance - The company will release its earnings report for Q2 of the 2026 fiscal year on January 7, with a conference call scheduled for 5 p.m. ET [3]. - In Q1 of the 2026 fiscal year, Applied Digital reported revenue of $64.2 million, reflecting an 84% year-over-year increase. Analysts project an average revenue of $82 million for Q2, which, if exceeded, would suggest ongoing success in securing new deals [4]. - The company reported a net loss of $26.2 million in Q1, with negative cash flow of $82 million. There is an expectation for these figures to improve as the company aims for profitability [5]. Market Data - Applied Digital has a market capitalization of $6.7 billion, with a current share price of $24.02. The stock has experienced a 52-week range between $3.31 and $40.20 [6]. - The gross margin for the company stands at 14.46%, indicating the percentage of revenue that exceeds the cost of goods sold [6].