BROOKFIELD, NEWS, Oct. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Infrastructure Partners will hold its third quarter 2025 conference call and webcast on Friday, November 7, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. (ET). Results will be released that morning before 7:00 a.m. (ET) and will be available on our website at https://bip.brookfield.com. Participants can join by conference call or webcast. Conference Call Please pre-register at: BIP2025Q3ConferenceCallUpon registering, you will be emailed a dial-in number and unique PIN. T ...

Equifax Inc. (EFX), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a leading global data, analytics, and technology company. Valued at $31.5 billion by market cap, the company brings buyers and sellers together through its information management, transaction processing, direct marketing, and customer relationship management businesses. The credit bureau giant is expected to announce its fiscal third-quarter earnings for 2025 on Wednesday, Oct. 15. Ahead of the event, analysts expect EFX to report a profit of $1.94 ...

Core Insights - The announcement of an open standard for exchanging semantic information aims to enhance interoperability among major industry players like Salesforce, DVT Labs, and BlackRock, facilitating the development of AI solutions [2][3][6] - The new interchange format is designed to simplify the process of sending and receiving semantic information, making it easier for companies to create value from their data [4][5] - The integration of this standard is expected to accelerate productivity gains in the data industry and improve the functionality of large language models [6][9] Industry Developments - The introduction of the model context protocol by Anthropic addresses issues of data silos and interoperability, providing a foundational layer for creating agents that can utilize various protocols [7][8] - The productivity gains observed by companies using these new technologies indicate a positive trend, with specific examples highlighting improved access to sales data and customer information [10][11][12] - The coding of agents is emerging as a significant application of language models, with notable adoption across enterprises leading to remarkable productivity improvements [12][13] Workforce Considerations - The company acknowledges concerns regarding talent acquisition, particularly related to H-1B visas, but notes that less than 10% of its workforce is on such visas [14][15] - The company emphasizes the value that tech workers from around the world bring to the industry and is actively engaging with the administration to ensure a mutually beneficial outcome [16]

Core Insights - Companies with a strong history of dividend payments and increases are attractive to income-focused investors, with Brookfield Infrastructure, Delek Logistics, and VICI Properties recently announcing dividend hikes and offering yields up to nearly 10% [1] Brookfield Infrastructure Partners - Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP operates in utilities, transport, midstream, and data sectors [2] - The company has increased its dividends for 16 consecutive years, with a recent quarterly payout raised by 6% to $0.43 per share, translating to an annual payout of $1.72 per share [3] - As of June 30, the annual revenue was $21.54 billion, with Q2 2025 revenues reported at $5.43 billion, exceeding consensus estimates, although the loss per share of $0.03 missed expectations [4] Delek Logistics Partners - Delek Logistics Partners LP focuses on logistics and marketing assets for crude oil and refined products in the U.S. [4] - The company has raised its dividends for 12 consecutive years, with the latest quarterly payout increased from $1.11 to $1.115 per share, equating to an annual figure of $4.46 per share [5] - Annual revenue as of June 30 was $920.21 million, with Q2 2025 revenues of $246.35 million and EPS of $0.83, both below expectations [5] VICI Properties - VICI Properties Inc. is a real estate investment trust specializing in casino and entertainment properties [6] - The company has raised its dividends for seven consecutive years, with the latest quarterly payout increased by 4% to $0.45 per share, resulting in an annual figure of $1.80 per share [7] - The current dividend yield for VICI Properties stands at 5.60% [7]

Group 1 - Speculative stocks can be a part of an investment portfolio, but investors should be cautious and aware of the risks involved [1][2] - Speculative stocks are defined as companies with high valuations that may not be highly profitable, presenting high-risk but potentially high-reward opportunities [1][3] - Younger investors are particularly encouraged to consider speculative investments [1] Group 2 - A diverse portfolio is recommended, ideally including only one or two speculative stocks, and investors should manage gains carefully by scaling out gradually [2] - Types of speculative stocks include profitable companies with high price-to-earnings multiples, such as Palantir, and "thesis stocks" that align with current market trends [3] Group 3 - The energy sector is seeing increased interest, with companies like Bloom Energy and Oklo providing hydrogen fuel cells and nuclear power, respectively [4] - In the aerospace sector, Rocket Lab and Joby Aviation are highlighted as key players, while quantum computing stocks like IONQ, D-Wave Quantum, and Rigetti Computing are noted for their potential to rally on positive news [4] Group 4 - The current market is characterized as being "supercharged by speculation," but this does not necessarily indicate an overall market danger [5] - High-risk stocks mentioned have already experienced significant gains, and missing out on these opportunities could lead to missed rallies [5]

A three-year-old startup providing data for AI labs is trying to fill the gap in the market left by Scale AI. https://t.co/F1zDqIWSu7 ...

Group 1: Archrock (AROC) - Archrock is an energy infrastructure company focused on midstream natural gas compression, with a recent dividend of 21 cents per share for Q2, marking an 11% increase from Q1, resulting in an annualized yield of 3.3% [3][4] - Mizuho analyst Gabriel Moreen has reiterated a buy rating on Archrock, raising the price target from $31 to $32, while TipRanks' AI Analyst has an "outperform" rating with a target of $27 [4][6] - Moreen highlighted Archrock's strong balance sheet flexibility, allowing for capital returns and dividend expansion, with projected dividend per share growth of 20%, 12%, and 10% for fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027 respectively [5][6] Group 2: Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (BIP) - Brookfield Infrastructure Partners declared a quarterly distribution of 43 cents per unit, reflecting a 6% year-over-year increase, offering a dividend yield of 5.6% [8][10] - Jefferies analyst Sam Burwell resumed coverage with a buy rating and a price target of $35, noting significant acquisitions that have strengthened BIP's midstream, transport, and data businesses [10][11] - Burwell expects BIP's funds from operations (FFO) to grow at a nearly 9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and solid distribution growth at about 6.5% CAGR through 2027 [13] Group 3: Permian Resources (PR) - Permian Resources, an independent oil and natural gas company, declared a base dividend of 15 cents per share for Q3 2025, resulting in an annualized yield of 4.3% [15][16] - Goldman Sachs analyst Neil Mehta reaffirmed a buy rating with a price forecast of $17, highlighting operational ramp-up and new agreements to enhance cash flow [16][17] - Mehta emphasized PR's focus on cost optimization and strategic investments, projecting incremental free cash flow of over $50 million in 2026 compared to 2024 [17][18]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article is the release of the "Guidelines for the Construction of High-Quality Data Sets" at the 2025 China International Big Data Industry Expo, aimed at promoting high-quality data set construction to support the deep development of artificial intelligence [1] - The guidelines were jointly compiled by several institutions including the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology and the National Data Development Research Institute, under the guidance of the National Data Bureau [1] - The guidelines cover various aspects such as the background of high-quality data set construction, application needs, current construction status, methods and practices, operational systems, and promotion strategies, proposing a "1+1" reference path for high-quality data set construction [1] Group 2 - The National Data Bureau will continue to guide various parties to actively engage in high-quality data set construction, aiming to enhance the quality of data supply and strengthen the foundation for artificial intelligence development [1]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint emphasizes the importance of high-quality data sets in the development of artificial intelligence, with a focus on their construction and promotion across various sectors [2] - As of June 2023, over 35,000 high-quality data sets have been established in China, totaling more than 400PB, which is approximately 140 times the digital resources of the National Library of China [2] - The demand for data trading has surged, with a cumulative transaction value of nearly 4 billion yuan for high-quality data sets by June 2023, and the total scale of listed high-quality data sets reaching 246PB [2] Group 2 - The development of high-quality data sets relies on the support of the data annotation industry, with the National Data Bureau establishing seven data annotation bases in cities like Chengdu, Shenyang, and Hefei [3] - The proportion of Chinese data used in model training has exceeded 60% in most domestic models, with some models reaching 80% [3] - Future plans include systematic efforts to advance high-quality data set construction, focusing on key areas such as embodied intelligence, low-altitude economy, and biomanufacturing [3]

Core Viewpoint - Brookfield Infrastructure is presented as an ideal investment for those seeking a combination of high dividend yield and rapid growth, currently offering a 4.3% yield while maintaining a strong growth trajectory in dividend payments [3]. Company Overview - Brookfield Infrastructure operates a diverse portfolio of utility, energy, transport, and data-related assets, which are essential for daily operations across various sectors [5]. - Approximately 85% of the company's funds from operations (FFO) are derived from regulated utility businesses and long-term contracts, making it a reliable income source for investors [6]. Dividend Growth - The company has consistently raised its dividend by 8% annually over the past 12 years, with the latest payout ratio at 68% of FFO, indicating a sustainable growth in dividend payments [7][8]. - Adjusted for foreign exchange, the second-quarter FFO increased by 9% year-over-year, aligning with the company's long-term growth expectations [8]. Growth Opportunities - Brookfield Infrastructure benefits from its parent company, Brookfield Asset Management, which has raised $97 billion in capital over the past year, providing ample opportunities for asset acquisition [10]. - The company recently acquired 5,500 miles of pipelines with a capacity of 2.5 million barrels per day, expecting to recoup its investment within seven years [11]. - Brookfield Infrastructure has a capital recycling program, successfully selling developed assets, such as a stake in its U.K. ports operation for $385 million, yielding a 19% internal rate of return [12]. Management and Strategy - With access to around 2,500 investment professionals from Brookfield Asset Management, the company is well-positioned to navigate the alternative-asset landscape and achieve growth within the expected range of 5% to 9% [13].