Jim Cramer, the host of Mad Money, said Wednesday that he remains confident many software companies can withstand the threat posed by artificial intelligence. Wall Street can overreact better than anyone. Earlier this week, an outfit called Citrini Research put out a paper titled the “2028 Global Intelligence Crisis” that presented our country as a vast wasteland of white-collar unemployables thrown out of pretty much anywhere they previously worked because of what we talk about all the time, AI. This piece ...

The UK stock market's FTSE 100 is up firmly in positive territory Friday morning, led by gains in the mining sector. Investors are also reacting to a slew of earnings news and other corporate announcements. Data showing an unexpected drop in consumer confidence is limiting market's upside.The benchmark FTSE 100, which advanced to 10,914.18, a new record high, was up 43.34 points or 0.4% at 10,890.04 a few minutes ago.RightMove, up 4.2%, tops the list of gainers in the FTSE 100 index. The stock is up after ...

Key Takeaways Diageo's 1H26 EPS fell 2.5% as organic sales dropped 2.8% and North America remained weak.Tequila slid in the US, with Don Julio and Casamigos down double-digit on consumer downtrading.Diageo sees FY26 organic sales down 2-3% but reiterates $3B free cash flow guidance.Diageo plc (DEO) reported interim results for the first half of fiscal 2026, which ended Dec. 31, 2025, wherein pre-exceptional earnings per share declined 2.5% year over year to 95.3 cents. This was mainly due to reduced organic ...

Core Insights - Diageo (DEO) has recently announced weak earnings, which was not entirely unexpected, but the lowered guidance and dividend cut are significant developments [1] Financial Performance - The earnings announcement from Diageo indicated a decline, leading to a revision in future guidance [1] Dividend Policy - The company has implemented a dividend cut, which is a notable change in its financial strategy [1]

All three major U.S. stock indexes advanced, with the Nasdaq, powered by chips, enjoying the largest ‌percentage gain as markets ⁠near the ⁠end of a tumultuous month that was marked by concerns over massive investment in AI infrastructure and the extent to which it could disrupt myriad industries.Nvidia, at the forefront of the AI revolution, reported fourth-quarter revenue of $68.13 billion, beating analyst estimates. Its shares were up about 3% in extended trading.The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index ...

Core Viewpoint - Diageo PLC reported a decline in earnings and announced a significant dividend cut as part of a strategic reset under new CEO Sir Dave Lewis to enhance financial flexibility and support investments in competitiveness and portfolio growth [1][3]. Financial Performance - Adjusted basic earnings per share for the half-year ended December 31, 2025, were 95.3 cents, down 2.5% year-over-year [1]. - Net sales reached $10.46 billion, reflecting a 4.0% decline on a reported basis and a 2.8% decline organically [1]. - Organic operating profit declined 2.8% to approximately $3.256 billion, consistent with sales trends [2]. Dividend and Guidance - The interim dividend was halved to 20 cents per share from 40.5 cents, reflecting a revised payout policy targeting 30-50% of earnings [1]. - Diageo updated its fiscal 2026 outlook, now expecting organic net sales to decline 2-3% and organic operating profit growth to be flat to up low-single-digits [3]. Market Dynamics - The organic decline was primarily driven by weakness in North America, particularly in the U.S. spirits and tequila categories, and continued softness in Chinese white spirits [2]. - Strong growth was noted in Europe, Latin America & Caribbean, and Africa, partially offsetting declines in other regions [2]. Strategic Initiatives - The company is targeting around $3 billion in free cash flow and emphasizes deleveraging efforts, including proceeds from planned disposals [4]. - New CEO Sir Dave Lewis highlighted the need to address weak demand and enhance competitiveness while framing the dividend rebase as a step towards building flexibility for a turnaround [6]. Financial Metrics - Diageo's trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is around 20-21x, with a price-to-sales ratio of approximately 2.4x and enterprise value to sales around 3.5x [5]. - Debt-to-equity remains elevated at roughly 2.2x, with a current ratio of 1.63 indicating solid short-term liquidity [5].

Quick Read iShares Consumer Staples (KXI) returned 18.07% over the past year with lower volatility than the S&P 500’s 15.11%. Walmart and Costco represent KXI’s largest positions at 9.94% and 9.22%. KXI charges a 0.39% expense ratio versus XLP’s 0.08%. Nvidia made early investors rich, but there is a new class of 'Next Nvidia Stocks' that could be even better; learn more here. Consumer sentiment has been sitting in recessionary territory for months, with the University of Michigan's index at 56. ...

Quick Read iShares Consumer Staples (KXI) returned 18.07% over the past year with lower volatility than the S&P 500’s 15.11%. Walmart and Costco represent KXI’s largest positions at 9.94% and 9.22%. KXI charges a 0.39% expense ratio versus XLP’s 0.08%. Nvidia made early investors rich, but there is a new class of 'Next Nvidia Stocks' that could be even better; learn more here. Consumer sentiment has been sitting in recessionary territory for months, with the University of Michigan's index at 56. ...

Diageo's tequila sales plunged 23% in the six months to the end of 2025. It has warning for the U.S. economy. ...

Tequila Headache for Diageo as U.S. Drinkers Cut Back. Guinness Maker's Stock Drops. - Barron'sSkip to Main ContentThis copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.# Tequila Headache for Diageo as U.S. Drinkers Cut Back. The Guinness Maker's Stock Drops.By [Callum Keown]Sh ...