I am a full-time analyst interested in a wide range of stocks. With my unique insights and knowledge, I hope to provide other investors with a contrasting view of my portfolio, given my particular background.If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me via a direct message on Seeking Alpha or leave a comment on one of my articles.Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the ...

Core Viewpoint - Block, once a high-flying fintech stock, has seen a significant decline since its peak in August 2021, trading 76% below its record as of July 14, with a 21% decline in 2023. Despite this, the company's profits are increasing, and it currently trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 24.7, raising questions about long-term investment potential based on Bitcoin's trajectory [2][10]. Group 1: Company Overview - Block operates two main ecosystems: Square, which provides tools for small- and medium-sized merchants, and Cash App, a personal finance platform with 57 million users [4][5]. - Square has shown a year-over-year gross profit growth of 9% in the first quarter, benefiting from customer switching costs [5]. Group 2: Bitcoin Strategy - CEO Jack Dorsey emphasizes the importance of Bitcoin for Block's future, viewing it as a means to enhance economic empowerment and financial freedom [6][7]. - Block owns 8,584 bitcoins valued at over $1 billion, and its success in the coming years is closely tied to Bitcoin's price trajectory [8][10]. - The company is developing initiatives to support Bitcoin adoption, including allowing merchants to accept cryptocurrency payments and selling a Bitcoin self-custody hardware wallet [10][11]. Group 3: Financial Impact - Currently, Bitcoin-related activities contribute only $65 million in gross profit, approximately 3% of Block's total [10]. - If Bitcoin's price rises, Block could see significant benefits from hardware wallet sales and increased demand for its services [11][12].

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey testifies during a remote video hearing held by subcommittees of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee on "Social Media's Role in Promoting Extremism and Misinformation" in Washington, U.S., March 25, 2021.Block jumped more than 5% on Monday, leading a rally in shares of fintech companies as analysts downplayed the threat of JPMorgan Chase's reported plan to charge data aggregators for access to customer financial information.The recovery followed steep decl ...

Key Takeaways HRB has returned 6.2% YTD, outperforming its industry's 4.8% decline, with a Zacks Rank #2 and VGM Score of A. Fiscal 2025 EPS is projected to grow 18.4% to $5.20, with long-term earnings growth pegged at 12.5%. Programs like "Make It Legit" and Fund Her Future support gig workers and women entrepreneurs with tax tools.H&R Block, Inc. (HRB) is a tax return preparation service provider that has performed decently year to date and has the potential to sustain momentum in the near term.What Mak ...

Core Insights - Investing in the intersection of financial services and technology presents significant growth opportunities for companies like Block and SoFi [1] Group 1: Block - Block, originally known as Square, has evolved from a small credit card reader provider to a comprehensive financial services company, handling $54 billion in gross payment volume in Q1 [3] - The Cash App platform, which serves as a personal finance tool, ended Q1 with 57 million monthly active users and offers various services including direct deposit and Bitcoin trading [4] - Despite strong growth in gross profits, Block's CEO has shifted focus towards Bitcoin, developing a hardware wallet and crypto mining equipment, which could enhance business if Bitcoin adoption increases [5][6] Group 2: SoFi - SoFi has established itself in the financial services sector by focusing on innovation and a strong user experience, currently boasting 10.9 million customers, more than tripling since the end of 2021 [7][8] - The company's revenue surged 20% year-over-year in Q1 to $772 million, with significant growth in financial services, where revenues more than doubled [9] - SoFi has transitioned from posting net losses to reporting positive net income, with expectations for rapid profit growth in the coming years [10] Group 3: Stock Performance - Over the past year, Block's stock price has increased by 4%, while SoFi's stock has surged by 211% [11] - Block's business growth has been notable despite macroeconomic challenges, while SoFi continues to demonstrate solid financial performance and improving profitability [12]

Core Insights - Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM), in collaboration with QatarEnergy, has discovered a new natural gas reservoir offshore Cyprus, specifically in Block 10, with preliminary drilling results indicating a gas-bearing reservoir approximately 350 meters thick at a depth of 1.9 kilometers [1][9] - This discovery follows the earlier successful finds at the Glaucus-1 well in February 2019 and the Glaucus-2 appraisal in March 2022, which confirmed the presence of a high-quality natural gas reservoir [3][9] - Cyprus aims to leverage its offshore gas reserves to enhance energy security and attract foreign investment, particularly in light of global energy market disruptions [4] Exploration and Development - The ExxonMobil-QatarEnergy consortium will continue to assess and appraise the reservoir's commercial viability in Block 10 over the coming months [2][5] - Despite multiple discoveries, Cyprus has not yet commenced commercial extraction or exports of its gas reserves [4] Industry Context - The Eastern Mediterranean is viewed as an untapped gas frontier, with the ExxonMobil-led consortium positioned as a key player in this region [3][9] - The geopolitical landscape has increased interest in diversified natural gas sources, making Cyprus's offshore reserves strategically significant [4]

Market Overview - The market is currently at an all-time high, with speculative stocks that lack profits experiencing significant increases in value [1] - Conversely, more stable companies are not receiving the same level of investor interest [1] Investment Strategy - A long/short partnership approach is suggested, emphasizing the importance of fundamental analysis and skepticism towards pro-forma figures declared by companies [2] Analyst Position - The analyst holds a beneficial long position in the shares of HRB, indicating a personal investment interest in the company [3]

Block (XYZ 0.57%) had a decent, if unspectacular, June, ultimately emerging from the month with a 10% gain in share price. A product launch in an important market overseas, announced as we approached July, was a catalyst, as were several positive analyst notes across the preceding weeks.A good month for analyst takesIn the opening days of the month, Block earned a recommendation upgrade from Evercore ISI, whose analyst Adam Frisch ticked up his rating to outperform (buy, in other words) from in line (hold). ...

Core Insights - TotalEnergies SE (TTE) has signed an agreement to acquire a 25% interest in Block 53 offshore Suriname from Moeve, enhancing its partnership with Petronas and APA Corporation in the license [2][11] - The acquisition is expected to bolster TTE's GranMorgu project, which is a low-cost and low-emission venture with an estimated 750 million barrels of recoverable resources and a total investment of $10.5 billion [4][5][11] - The GranMorgu project is anticipated to begin production in the first half of 2028, with a production capacity of 220,000 barrels per day [5] Company Developments - The GranMorgu development, which TTE operates with a 40% stake in the adjacent Block 58, is crucial for expanding production and developing new resources in Suriname's offshore market [3][4] - TTE's recent acquisition aligns with its strategy to utilize existing infrastructure for production increases and resource development [4][11] Industry Context - The offshore exploration sector is vital for meeting global energy demands, with companies like Chevron and ExxonMobil also focusing on similar opportunities [7] - Chevron's offshore exploration activities have expanded significantly, particularly in South America, which could lead to increased energy reserves and opportunities [8] - ExxonMobil is actively pursuing deepwater projects globally, with significant exploration activities in regions like Guyana, Brazil, and the Eastern Mediterranean [9][10]

Core Insights - Corebridge Financial, Inc. (CRBG) has entered into a reinsurance agreement with CS Life Re, a subsidiary of Venerable Holdings, Inc., to reinsure its entire block of variable annuities valued at $2.8 billion, expected to yield approximately $2.1 billion in net distributable proceeds after taxes [1][9] Transaction Details - The reinsurance transaction covers the entire in-force book of variable annuity contracts within the Individual Retirement segment, which had an account value (AV) of $51 billion as of March 31, 2025. This includes $5 billion of General Account assets and $46 billion of Separate Account assets [2] - The deal also involves the divestiture of SAAMCo, an investment adviser for Corebridge's variable annuity products, with the AGL transaction expected to close in Q3 2025 and the USL transaction and SAAMCo sale in Q4 2025 [3] Financial Impact - The transaction implies a valuation multiple of approximately 9-10 times Corebridge's expected operating earnings for 2026 and 2027. Although a decrease in adjusted after-tax operating income of around $300 million is anticipated in 2026, this impact is expected to lessen in subsequent years [4] - The transaction is projected to enhance the company's Life Fleet Risk-Based Capital ratio by over 50 points, prior to the effects of the share repurchase program [4] Strategic Motive - The reinsurance agreement allows Corebridge to exit a legacy business line characterized by volatile GAAP earnings and potential tail risk exposure, thereby reshaping its portfolio and enhancing shareholder value [5] Shareholder Returns - The majority of the proceeds from the transaction will be returned to shareholders through share repurchases, with a $2 billion increase in the existing share repurchase authorization approved by the board [6][7] Stock Performance - Corebridge shares have increased by 20.2% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 10.7% [8]