Core Viewpoint - The U.S. stock market in 2025 is dominated by megacap growth, with Bitcoin gaining mainstream acceptance through exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and emerging markets presenting long-term investment opportunities due to deep discounts [1] Group 1: Investment Strategies - Apriem Advisors is focusing on three key trends: megacap growth, Bitcoin, and emerging markets, with a selection of top ETFs to capitalize on these trends [1][3] - The firm manages $1.5 billion in assets, primarily targeting intergenerational wealth growth and transfer, with a significant portion of clients being pre-retirees or retirees [3] Group 2: ETF Picks - The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (MGK) is highlighted as a top pick, with $30 billion in assets and a portfolio heavily weighted towards leading tech companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple, which together account for 39% of the fund [4][6] - MGK has shown a year-to-date increase of 16.54% and charges a low annual fee of 0.07% [6] - Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust (BTC) is another key pick, viewed as a speculative investment with an allocation increase from 2.5% to 4% in Apriem's portfolios, reflecting a doubling in investment since last year [7][8] - BTC has amassed $5 billion in assets since its launch and has a year-to-date performance of 15.45% with a low expense ratio of 0.15% [8] Group 3: Emerging Markets - Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) is identified as a valuable contrarian investment, focusing on large-, mid-, and small-cap stocks from over 20 emerging countries, with Chinese stocks comprising about 30% of its assets [11][12] - VWO has $131 billion in assets, charges an annual fee of 0.07%, and has increased by 22.71% this year [12][13] - Apriem has doubled its allocation to VWO from 2.5% to 5%, indicating a strategic shift towards emerging markets amid a global trend of reduced reliance on the dollar [14] Group 4: Market Outlook - The overall economic outlook remains optimistic, with strong corporate fundamentals and accelerating earnings-per-share estimates, despite potential short-term headwinds in the job market and possible overestimations of Federal Reserve rate cuts [15][16] - Executives are actively engaging in share buybacks, which supports capital return to shareholders, and many companies have set conservative guidance, allowing room for positive surprises [16][17]

Digital Infrastructure & Security - South Korea's government prioritized restoring digital services after a data center fire [1] - The fire severely impacted nationwide digital operations [1]

Singapore will begin restricting access to key digital and telecom services for individuals linked to scam activities, tightening measures to curb such crimes https://t.co/XmcaSXjIZL ...

Three, two, >> five things to know ahead of today's opening bell. Share shares of finance and HR software provider Workday are lower after the company issued guidance that was in line with expectations and warned of pressure in some areas of its business. You can see that stock down by 4.2%.Meanwhile, Ross shares are higher. The retailer topped quarterly profit estimates and reinstated its annual earnings forecast and that stock is up by about 2%. Zoom shares also higher this morning.The company raising its ...

Financial Performance - The company achieved strong revenue growth of 8.9% year-on-year, with EBITDA rising by 13.7% [5][11] - Adjusting for the deconsolidation of TNS Plus, revenue growth would have been 11.7% and EBITDA growth would have been 15.5% [6][12] - In local currency terms, revenue increased by 12.9%, outpacing inflation and nominal GDP growth [10][11] - Direct digital revenues grew by 50.2% year-on-year, now representing 14.3% of total revenues, up from 10.4% a year ago [6][18] Business Segment Performance - The Telecom and Infrastructure segment contributed $880 million, growing 4.2% year-on-year [13] - Direct digital revenues in Pakistan surged 49.5%, contributing 27.7% of total revenues in that market [21] - In Ukraine, total revenues grew 49.5% year-on-year, with direct digital revenues increasing by 141% [24] - Kazakhstan's telecom and infrastructure revenues grew 9.4% year-on-year, while EBITDA was impacted by the absence of regulatory tax benefits [26] Market Performance - Pakistan's revenue growth was 20.3%, with EBITDA growing at 13.2% [19] - Ukraine's operations achieved 20.2% revenue growth and 10.2% EBITDA uplift after adjusting for the previous year's cyberattack [20] - Uzbekistan reported revenue growth of 13.1% and EBITDA growth of 16.5% [30] Company Strategy and Industry Competition - The company is transitioning into a services-oriented business model, leveraging digital services and AI integration [6][7] - The asset-light strategy is a cornerstone of value creation, with ongoing initiatives to unlock infrastructure and tower value [7][8] - The strategic partnership with Engrave Corporation in Pakistan is expected to unlock $563 million in value [7] Management Commentary on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving full-year guidance, projecting 12% to 14% underlying local currency revenue growth [42] - Inflation rates in the company's markets are trending lower, which is seen as a potential headwind [42] - The company is optimistic about the future, expecting to continue delivering on its strategy and creating sustainable value [44] Other Important Information - The second phase of the share buyback program commenced, with $23 million of shares repurchased [8] - The company repaid $472 million of bonds in April 2025, with no additional maturities until 2027 [40] - The company is making progress on the proposed NASDAQ listing for KSTAR, expected to complete in Q3 [83] Q&A Session Summary Question: What percentage of revenue from multiplayer customers is due to their use of apps versus telecom revenues? - Management noted that multiplayer customers generate 3.7 times more ARPU compared to voice-only customers, with data consumption three times higher [51][52] Question: How does the company position itself against Netflix in Pakistan? - Management sees Netflix as a complementary service rather than a competitor, emphasizing the relevance of local content [53][54] Question: What is the strategy around data centers? - The company plans to partner with investors for next-generation data centers while maintaining an asset-light strategy [62] Question: What are the drivers behind ARPU growth in Ukraine? - ARPU growth is attributed to fair value pricing and the stability of the customer base, with tower assets separated from the operating company [72][73] Question: What is the guidance for CapEx in Ukraine? - CapEx in Ukraine has increased due to extraordinary investments in energy sustainability, but is expected to align with guidance moving forward [81][82] Question: Will the company roll out fintech products in other markets? - The company is focusing on regulatory issues to introduce financial services in Bangladesh and Ukraine, following success in Pakistan [91][92]

Core Viewpoint - VEON Ltd. and Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I have signed a business combination agreement that will lead to the listing of JSC Kyivstar on the Nasdaq Stock Market, marking a significant milestone for Ukraine's economic future and providing international investors with access to the Ukrainian market [1][4][5]. Company Overview - Kyivstar is Ukraine's largest digital operator, serving over 24 million customers with fixed and mobile communication services [8][10]. - The company has a strong consumer digital service portfolio, including a healthcare platform with over 28 million registered patients and a streaming platform with 2 million monthly active users [8]. - Kyivstar plans to invest USD 1 billion into new telecom technologies in Ukraine from 2023 to 2027 [10]. Business Combination Details - Following the business combination, Kyivstar Group will be listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol KYIV, with VEON retaining a minimum of 80% ownership [2]. - The transaction assigns a pro-forma valuation of USD 2.21 billion to Kyivstar at closing [8]. - The business combination is expected to close in Q3 2025, pending shareholder approval and customary closing conditions [2][20]. Management Commentary - VEON's Chairman emphasized that Kyivstar's listing will be a defining moment for Ukraine's economic future and a unique opportunity for global investors [4]. - The CEO of VEON highlighted Kyivstar's strong financial profile and governance structure, which are expected to attract international investors [5]. - Kyivstar's CEO noted the company's resilience during the war and its commitment to rebuilding Ukraine's infrastructure [6]. Advisors - Rothschild & Co is acting as the lead financial advisor to VEON, while BTIG, LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. are also involved as capital markets advisors [9].