Let's talk about it all. Dryen Pence, CIO, Pence Capital Management, joining us now on set. Better to be here today than on Friday, Dryden.Absolutely. Uh besides that social media post, do we know what changed. Or maybe that was enough. Well, I think that that that is probably enough.But I mean, the fact of the matter is is that China, we are 2.3% of China's GDP. They're trade with us. we're, you know, we're they're only about 0.5% of ours.They need us more than we need them. And so you had this posting goi ...

As market indexes continue to close near all-time highs, investors can become cautious about adding capital at higher valuations. Therefore, high-quality income funds can be an efficient way to hedge against market uncertainties, such asFinancial analyst by day and a seasoned investor by passion, I've been involved in the world of investing for over 15 years and honed my skills in analyzing lucrative opportunities within the market.I specialize in uncovering high quality dividend stocks and other assets tha ...

All right. So, I think really the weakness we saw in the markets was after that information report on Oracle um not being as profitable as a lot of analysts thought it was going to be maybe even losing some money on Nvidia chips. Does that change the momentum of the AI trade and I guess by default the market in a meaningful way.No, I think you look intermediate term, you look longterm at what's happening here with the AI revolution. It's hard to come up with a reason that you don't experience long-term grow ...

In this reflective talk, Mr Vivek Rathod explores the deep parallels between investing and life itself. Drawing from his personal journey through financial uncertainty and personal setbacks, he shares how resilience, discipline, and continuous learning shaped his evolution into a full-time investor. His story offers a grounded perspective on long-term growth—both financial and personal—and the quiet power of perseverance. Vivek M. Rathod is a dynamic full-time trader and mentor who has turned challenges int ...

Group 1 - The landscape for Business Development Companies (BDCs) is becoming more challenging due to elevated interest rates, which are impacting their ability to grow earnings and net asset value (NAV) [1] - Higher interest rates increase borrowing costs for BDCs, making it difficult for them to maintain profitability [1] - A hybrid investment strategy that includes classic dividend growth stocks, BDCs, REITs, and Closed-End Funds can enhance investment income while achieving total returns comparable to traditional index funds like the S&P [1]

Investment Strategy - Steady investing helps smooth volatility & build long-term growth [1] - Market swings shouldn't stop contributions [1]

Financial Planning - A year-end bonus presents opportunities beyond immediate spending, including debt repayment, savings accumulation, and long-term investment [1] - The bonus can be strategically utilized for financial growth [1]

Network Goals - Chainlink Network aims for long-term growth and sustainability [1] Key Steps - Focus on Chainlink Reliability [2] - Focus on Chainlink Revenue [2] - Focus on Chainlink Reserve [2]

Core Viewpoint - Hess Midstream reported strong Q2 2025 results, exceeding analyst expectations in both earnings and revenue, while also increasing its quarterly dividend, indicating robust operational performance and financial health [1][5][8]. Financial Performance - GAAP earnings per share (EPS) for Q2 2025 were $0.74, surpassing the estimate of $0.65 and up 25.4% from $0.59 in Q2 2024 [2][5]. - Revenue reached $414.2 million, exceeding expectations of $405.1 million and reflecting a 13.3% increase from $365.5 million in Q2 2024 [2][5]. - Adjusted EBITDA was $316.0 million, a 14.3% increase from $276.5 million in Q2 2024 [2][7]. - Net cash provided by operating activities was $276.9 million, up 2.0% from $271.6 million in Q2 2024 [2][7]. - Adjusted free cash flow rose 24% to $193.8 million compared to $156.4 million in Q2 2024 [2][7]. Business Overview - Hess Midstream operates energy infrastructure systems for oil, natural gas, and water in the Bakken and Three Forks shale plays, focusing on pipelines, compressor stations, and gas processing plants [3][4]. - The company relies on long-term, fee-based contracts, primarily with Hess Corporation, ensuring revenue stability [4][9]. Operational Highlights - Gas processing throughput increased by 7% to 449 million cubic feet per day, while oil terminaling volumes rose by 9% and water gathering increased by 11% year over year [6]. - The gross margin improved to 63%, up from 61% in Q2 2024, indicating enhanced profitability [7]. Capital Allocation and Shareholder Returns - The company repurchased $190.0 million in Class B units and $10.0 million in Class A shares, supporting a quarterly distribution increase to $0.7370 per share [8]. - Management aims to grow distributions by at least 5% annually through 2027, backed by excess cash flow [8][13]. Strategic Focus and Future Outlook - The company reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, projecting adjusted EBITDA between $1,235 million and $1,285 million, with capital expenditures of $300 million [13]. - Hess Midstream targets gas gathering of 475–485 million cubic feet per day and crude oil terminal volumes of 130–140 thousand barrels per day for 2025 [14]. - The recent merger with Chevron is expected to influence future business priorities, although current operations remain stable [9][12].

Group 1 - Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) has a strong portfolio of upstream assets, particularly in the oil-rich Permian Basin and offshore Guyana, with low production costs allowing it to withstand unfavorable oil and gas price environments [1][3] - The acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources on May 3, 2024, has significantly enhanced ExxonMobil's upstream portfolio, adding 1.4 million net acres and an estimated 16 billion barrels of oil equivalent resources [2][7] - Despite operational strengths, ExxonMobil anticipates a decline in earnings for Q2 2025 due to lower oil and natural gas prices, which poses a concern for its exploration and production activities [3][7] Group 2 - Chevron (CVX) and Diamondback Energy (FANG) are also strong players in the Permian Basin, with Chevron being one of the largest producers and FANG focusing solely on low-cost production in the region [4][5] - XOM's stock has seen a marginal decline of 0.5% over the past year, compared to a nominal gain of 0.7% for the broader industry [6] - From a valuation perspective, XOM trades at a trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA of 6.73X, which is above the industry average of 4.27X [9]