Group 1 - The meeting is the Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders of Cresco Labs Inc, chaired by Thomas J. Manning [1] - The meeting is conducted virtually via a webcast, with rules established for orderly conduct, including the submission of questions through the Lumi interface [2] - Voting on all matters will be conducted electronically through the Lumi platform, with polls open for registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders [3] Group 2 - Registered shareholders and proxy holders can vote at any time until the final item of business is read, after which the polls will close [4] - If a registered shareholder or proxy holder has already voted and does not wish to change their vote, they should refrain from voting again to avoid revoking their previous vote [4]

Investment Ratings & Recommendations - Bernstein initiated coverage with an outperform rating on Apple, Dell, SanDisk, and Seagate, anticipating significant gains due to increased AI spending [1] - Bernstein is most positive on Seagate, expecting continued outperformance despite a 142% increase in 2025 [2] Market Drivers & Trends - The intelligence revolution and the resulting data explosion are driving performance for storage companies [3] - Data storage needs are increasing, benefiting both hard disk drive (Seagate) and NAND flash (SanDisk) manufacturers [3][9] Company-Specific Analysis - Seagate is a leader in next-generation hard disk drive technology, expected to drive down costs and expand margins [4][5] - Seagate is projected to have a 28% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in earnings per share (EPS) over the next five years [5] - SanDisk is considered underappreciated after its spin-off from Western Digital [6] - SanDisk's valuation is approximately half of its fab replacement value, with its intellectual property effectively valued at zero [7][8] Financial Outlook - Bernstein is ahead of the street on earnings expectations for both Seagate and SanDisk [9]

Company Overview - Seagate (STX) shares increased by 7.7% to close at $211.12, with a notable trading volume compared to typical sessions, and a total gain of 26.9% over the past four weeks [1] Product Launch - The recent launch of the LaCie Rugged SSD4 on September 15 is a key driver for the share price increase. This external solid-state drive is designed for creators and offers read speeds of up to 4000MB/s and write speeds of 3800MB/s, with a USB 40Gbps port for fast file transfers [2] Market Demand - There is a growing demand for mass capacity storage solutions, particularly in the nearline cloud segment. Mass capacity revenues surged by 40% year over year to $2 billion, driven by stronger nearline cloud demand and increasing enterprise sales [3] - Nearline drives constituted 91% of total mass capacity exabytes shipped in the June quarter, with cloud investment cycles and AI-ready data center infrastructure driving demand [4] Earnings Expectations - Seagate is expected to report quarterly earnings of $2.33 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 47.5%, with revenues projected at $2.52 billion, up 16% from the previous year [5] - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 3.3% higher in the last 30 days, indicating a positive trend that typically correlates with stock price appreciation [6] Industry Context - Seagate holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and is part of the Zacks Computer - Integrated Systems industry, which includes IonQ, Inc. that also saw a 6.3% increase in its stock price [7]

Core Insights - Western Digital has raised prices on hard disk drives due to "unprecedented demand" driven by the AI era and data-center growth [2][6] - Data storage stocks, including Western Digital and Seagate, have seen significant gains, with Seagate's stock doubling in value in 2025 and reaching an all-time high [3][4] - Analysts are bullish on data storage stocks, with a majority issuing "buy" ratings for companies like Seagate, Pure Storage, Western Digital, and Sandisk [6] Company Performance - Western Digital's stock has also doubled, performing well alongside Seagate, and both companies are outperforming AI software company Palantir year-to-date [4] - Seagate's stock increased nearly 8% to an all-time high, while Western Digital's shares added almost 5% to close at a record high [2][3] - Pure Storage has seen over a 40% gain since boosting its outlook in late August, with its stock also reaching a new high [5] Market Trends - Data storage stocks have had a strong September, with both Seagate and Western Digital adding more than 25% of their value this month alone [5] - Morgan Stanley has identified Western Digital as a "top pick," citing management meetings and relative valuation, while Wedbush has included it in its "best ideas" [6] - The demand for hard disk drives is outpacing limited supply, indicating a favorable trend for hard disk makers [6]

Group 1: Data Storage Companies - Shares of Seagate Technology surged 7.7% to a record high, driven by optimism around AI-driven demand for large drives to support AI data centers [4][8] - Western Digital's shares increased by 4.8%, also reaching an all-time high, following the announcement of planned price hikes across its hard disk drive product portfolio [4][8] Group 2: Lithium Producer - Albemarle, the world's largest lithium producer, saw its shares rise by 6.7% after news that a major lithium mine in China would restart production sooner than expected, despite concerns about oversupply conditions [5] Group 3: Technology Sector - Alphabet's shares gained over 4%, making it the fourth company to reach a $3 trillion market capitalization, bolstered by a favorable ruling in an antitrust case [6] - Arista Networks' shares advanced 4.3% as the company provided a positive long-term growth outlook during its analyst day [7][9] Group 4: Packaged Food Sector - J.M. Smucker's shares declined by 5.2% after an analyst downgrade, citing pressure on sales volumes due to price increases in response to supply chain issues and commodity cost inflation [11] Group 5: Agricultural Sector - Corteva's shares dropped 5.7% following reports of a potential plan to split its seed and pesticide businesses, which could help protect its seed business from liabilities related to pesticides [10]

Core Insights - Seagate Technology has emerged as the strongest performer in the S&P 500 for the year 2025, with its shares experiencing significant growth [1] Company Performance - The company is recognized for its mass-capacity hard disk drives, which have contributed to its strong market performance [1]

Core Insights - Coin Shares recently completed a combination agreement and is set to be listed on NASDAQ, aiming to expand its presence in the US market [1][2] - The company has established itself as a leading player in the digital asset management space, holding a 34% market share in Europe and ranking among the top four managers globally [3][5] Company Strategy - The decision to pursue a SPAC route for the IPO was driven by the need to extend its strategy into the US market, rather than merely going public [4][5] - Coin Shares differentiates itself from other crypto-native companies in the US by focusing specifically on digital asset management rather than infrastructure [6][8] Competitive Advantage - The company benefits from a first-mover advantage in Europe, which provides an operational edge over newer entrants in the US market [7] - The overall maturity of the crypto market, along with regulatory clarity, positions Coin Shares favorably for future growth [9][10] Future Expectations - The company is focused on executing its growth strategy post-IPO, leveraging access to US capital markets to enhance its integration capacity within the digital asset management sector [11][12]

When most investors think of 2025’s biggest winners, Palantir (PLTR) is the first name that comes to mind. The stock has dominated headlines, driven by surging demand for its Artificial Intelligence (Platform) and accelerating revenue growth. Palantir has climbed an impressive 122.7% so far this year, making it one of the top-performing stocks in the S&P 500 Index ($SPX). But while Palantir has captured all the attention, another tech name has quietly outperformed it. Seagate Technology (STX), best known ...

Summary of the Conference Call on the Semiconductor Industry Industry Overview - The conference featured presentations from major companies in the semiconductor sector, including Nvidia, Broadcom, AMD, ARM, Cadence, Synopsys, Intel, and others, covering various sub-sectors such as Digital/AI Semiconductors, EDA Software, Analog, SemiCap Equipment, and Memory/Storage [1] Key Takeaways AI Opportunities - Companies expressed a bullish outlook on long-term AI opportunities, with expectations for robust spending in 2026 [2][8] - Nvidia anticipates capital spending on AI to exceed $3 trillion by 2030, while Broadcom expects AI revenue to surpass combined Software and Non-AI revenue within two years [9] EDA Software Growth - EDA companies maintain a positive outlook on long-term growth, although Synopsys lowered expectations for its IP business due to various factors [3][10] - Cadence reported robust chip design activity and growing adoption of AI offerings, while Synopsys faced challenges from disruptions in China and a weak IP outlook [11] Analog Market Recovery - Analog companies are witnessing early signs of cyclical recovery, although some sluggishness persists in the automotive market [4][12] - Texas Instruments noted recovery in four out of five end markets, with expectations for significant growth in the data center market [13] Equipment Spending Trends - Equipment suppliers expect continued growth in spending for 2025, but anticipate muted growth in 2026 due to digestion of trailing-edge capacity [5][14] - Applied Materials and Lam Research are positioned for growth due to their exposure to leading-edge logic and advanced packaging [15] Storage Market Dynamics - Storage providers are optimistic about tight supply/demand conditions in both NAND and HDD markets, which should support pricing [16] - Seagate is on track to qualify its HAMR product with customers, while Western Digital and SanDisk expect stable pricing and continued growth in the NAND market [17] Additional Insights - The "merchant vs custom" debate remains a focal point for investors, with Nvidia and Broadcom positioned as leaders in their respective segments [8] - The conference highlighted the importance of AI in driving future growth across various sectors, with companies like IBM emphasizing their unique positioning to meet AI deployment needs [9] Conclusion - The semiconductor industry is poised for significant growth driven by AI, with various sub-sectors showing resilience and recovery potential. Companies are strategically positioned to capitalize on these trends, although challenges remain in specific markets.

Core Viewpoint - The content emphasizes the importance of conducting personal due diligence and consulting competent advisors before making any financial decisions, particularly in the context of investments and trading [1]. Group 1 - The website provides general news, personal analysis, and third-party content intended for educational and research purposes [1]. - It explicitly states that the information does not constitute any recommendation or advice for investment actions [1]. - Users are advised to perform their own research and consider their financial situation before making decisions [1]. Group 2 - The website includes information about complex financial instruments such as cryptocurrencies and contracts for difference (CFDs), which carry a high risk of losing money [1]. - It encourages users to understand how these instruments work and the associated risks before investing [1].