Nvidia announced it will acquire $5 billion worth of chipmaking rival Intel’s shares and the two companies will collaborate to develop custom data center and personal computer products. https://t.co/EPL8YMeJxu (Photo: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images) https://t.co/u0I4Oqjplc ...

Market Overview - Wall Street reached new record highs driven by the Federal Reserve's quarter-point interest rate cut and expectations of further reductions in upcoming meetings [2][8] - The S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Russell 2000 indices all achieved unprecedented levels, with technology stocks leading the gains [2][8] - Nvidia's $5 billion investment in Intel resulted in a significant 23.1% to 24.6% increase in Intel's shares, marking its largest daily gain since 1987 [2][8] Corporate Performance - FedEx reported a strong first quarter for fiscal year 2025, with adjusted earnings per share of $3.83, surpassing the estimated $3.59, and revenue of $22.2 billion, exceeding predictions of $21.67 billion [3][8] - The company's adjusted operating income reached $1.30 billion, higher than the expected $1.21 billion, indicating a robust start to the fiscal year [3] Capital Flows - U.S. Treasury International Capital (TIC) data for July showed a significant decline in net long-term capital inflows, totaling $49.2 billion, down from $150.8 billion in the same period last year [4][8] - Despite the monthly dip, total foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries reached a record high of $8.339 trillion in July, up from $8.211 trillion in June [4][8] Geopolitical Developments - Former President Trump announced efforts to regain control of Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base, emphasizing its strategic importance due to its proximity to China's nuclear facilities [5][8] Technology Investments - Microsoft announced a $4 billion expansion of its data center investments in Wisconsin, bringing its total investment in the state to over $7 billion [6][8]

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market closed on September 16, 2025, with major indexes near all-time highs, driven by strong retail sales data and anticipation of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting [1][3] - The S&P 500 Index decreased by 0.1%, while the Nasdaq Composite finished up less than 0.1%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped between 0.2% and 0.3% [2] Economic Data - U.S. retail sales for August increased by 0.6% month-over-month, exceeding expectations of 0.3%, with July's figures revised to a 0.6% growth [5] - Upcoming economic releases include Housing Starts and Building Permits, which will provide insights into the housing market's health [6] Federal Reserve Meeting - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting is expected to conclude with a widely anticipated 25-basis-point reduction in the federal funds rate, aimed at boosting economic activity [4] Corporate Developments - Alphabet (GOOGL) shares rose, reaching a market capitalization above $3 trillion, following Citigroup's price target increase to $280 from $225 [7] - Tesla (TSLA) shares increased over 3% after Elon Musk's $1 billion stock purchase [7] - Emerson Electric (EMR) shares fell nearly 5% due to disappointing fiscal fourth-quarter orders guidance [8] - Webtoon Entertainment's shares soared 28% after a deal with Disney for a new digital comics platform [9] Upcoming Earnings Reports - General Mills (GIS) is set to report earnings, with other notable companies like FedEx (FDX), Micron Technology (MU), Accenture (ACN), Costco Wholesale (COST), and Nike (NKE) scheduled for later in September [12]

Core Insights - The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly boosted the stock performance of companies like Palantir Technologies and Seagate Technology, with Palantir's stock increasing by 2,500% since the start of 2023 and Seagate's stock gaining 121.4% in 2025 alone [2][7]. Company Performance - Palantir Technologies has integrated generative AI into its software, leading to soaring sales and profits, with a notable 120.7% rise in stock value in 2025 [2]. - Seagate Technology has experienced a surge in demand for nearline storage, shipping 137 exabytes of capacity last quarter, which is a 14% sequential increase and a 52% year-over-year increase [8]. - Seagate's revenue grew by 39% in fiscal 2025, with gross profit margin expanding from 23.4% to 35.2% year-over-year, and an impressive fourth-quarter gross margin of 37.4% [8]. Market Dynamics - The demand for data center storage is expected to rise significantly, from $13 billion in 2024 to $23 billion by 2028, indicating a prolonged growth cycle for companies like Seagate and Western Digital [10]. - Seagate and Western Digital are the two major suppliers of hard drives, both benefiting from the current demand cycle, which has led to strong gross margin expansion [9]. Competitive Landscape - Seagate has developed a technology lead with its heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) process, which is expected to enable the production of 40TB hard drives by the second half of fiscal 2026, while Western Digital is lagging behind by about six months [13]. - The competition between Seagate and Western Digital typically keeps pricing low, but the current demand cycle has allowed for margin expansion [12]. Valuation Considerations - Seagate's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 18.5, which is considered attractive compared to Palantir's 245 times earnings multiple, suggesting Seagate may be undervalued [14]. - Both Seagate and Western Digital are trading at a premium to their historical pricing, indicating that it may be prudent to wait for a better entry point before investing [16].

Industry Overview - The chipmaking industry has evolved over decades and is built for globalization [1] Geopolitical Impact - Current direction is the wrong one for the chipmaking industry [1]

Industry Overview - The chipmaking industry has evolved over decades and is built for globalization [1] Geopolitics - Current direction is the wrong one for the chipmaking industry [1]

Company News - Riskified Ltd. shares dropped 16% following the release of second-quarter results [4] - Intel Corp. saw a premarket increase of 6.42% after SoftBank Group agreed to invest $2 billion in the company [15] - Palo Alto Networks Inc. rose 5.58% after reporting better-than-expected financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 and providing strong guidance for fiscal 2026 [15] - Graphjet Technology GTI surged 34.32% after shareholders approved a share consolidation plan with a 1-for-60 ratio [15] - Laser Photonics Corp. experienced a significant increase of 63.01% following a second-quarter earnings report showing a 317% year-over-year revenue increase [15] - Fabrinet FN fell 10.02% despite reporting positive fourth-quarter financial results for fiscal 2025, as it projected fiscal first-quarter revenue below estimates [15] - Home Depot Inc. was up 0.45% ahead of its earnings report, with analysts estimating earnings of $4.69 per share on revenue of $45.31 billion [15] - Keysight Technologies Inc. was slightly up as analysts expect earnings of $1.67 per share on revenue of $1.32 billion [15] - Toll Brothers Inc. rose 0.17% with expected earnings of $3.60 per share on revenue of $2.86 billion [15] - Viking Therapeutics Inc. increased by 5.73% amid speculation of a potential acquisition by Eli Lilly & Co. [15] Industry Insights - The second-quarter earnings season has shown strong results, with S&P 500 earnings per share (EPS) growth projected at nearly 12%, significantly exceeding the sub-5% consensus estimate from June 30 [7] - The "Magnificent Seven" technology companies contributed to nearly 30% earnings growth, driven by continued investment in artificial intelligence [8] - Revenue for the S&P 500 grew by 6.3%, surpassing quarter-end expectations by over 2% [14] - A strong 81% of companies beat EPS estimates, exceeding the five-year average of 78% [14] - The communication services, technology, and financials sectors exhibited the fastest earnings growth [14]

Core Viewpoint - The technology sector is poised for growth driven by the future of data centers, particularly as the U.S. focuses on onshoring artificial intelligence capabilities, necessitating substantial investments in the semiconductor industry [1] Group 1: Data Centers and Energy Demand - The current U.S. energy grid is inadequate to meet the increasing electricity demand from data centers, which may lead to a rise in alternative energy sources [2] - This gap in energy supply could create long-term investment opportunities for those looking to capitalize on emerging trends in energy [2] Group 2: Nuclear Energy Companies - Major players in the nuclear energy sector, such as Cameco Corp., Oklo Inc., and NuScale Power Corp., are expected to benefit from the anticipated growth in data centers and the associated energy demands [3] - Cameco's stock is currently trading at $75.64, close to its 52-week high, reflecting strong market momentum and investor interest [4] - Cameco reported an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.51, significantly exceeding Wall Street's expectation of $0.29, indicating strong financial performance [5] Group 3: Stock Performance and Analyst Ratings - Analysts have a consensus "Buy" rating for Cameco, with a price target of $82.6, suggesting a potential upside of approximately 6.6% [7] - Royal Bank of Canada analyst Andrew Wong has a more optimistic target of $110, implying a 42% upside based on recent financial results [7] Group 4: Oklo's Market Position - Oklo's stock is trading at $77.31, with a high price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 35.9x, indicating a premium valuation compared to the energy sector average of 4.0x [8] - Oklo provides fusion power solutions, aligning with U.S. government objectives for national security and domestic energy production [9] - There has been a slight decline in short interest for Oklo, suggesting a potential bullish sentiment as the stock may rally [10] Group 5: NuScale's Regulatory Advantage - NuScale Power has a market capitalization of $11.2 billion and is well-positioned to adapt to new regulatory guidelines for small to medium-sized reactors [12] - The company is expected to see increased demand for its reactors as data centers expand, despite not yet reporting net income [13] - NuScale's stock trades at a high price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 229.6x, reflecting strong market expectations for future sales growth [14]

Core Insights - M/A-Com's international operations are crucial for assessing its financial strength and growth potential, given the interconnected nature of the global economy [2][3] - The company's total revenue for the quarter ending June 2025 was $252.08 million, reflecting a 32.3% increase year-over-year [4] International Revenue Analysis - Other Countries contributed 18.4% of total revenue, amounting to $46.28 million, which was a surprise of +7.8% compared to expectations [5] - China generated $70.97 million, representing 28.2% of total revenue, exceeding projections by +8.68% [6] - Asia Pacific (excluding China) accounted for $29.54 million, or 11.7% of total revenue, also surpassing analyst expectations by +3.78% [7] Future Revenue Projections - Analysts forecast total revenue of $258.33 million for the current fiscal quarter, indicating a 28.7% increase from the prior year [8] - For the full year, expected total revenue is $961.17 million, marking a 31.7% increase compared to last year [9] Market Performance - M/A-Com's stock has declined by 11.2% over the past month, contrasting with a 2.7% increase in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [14] - Over the last three months, the company's shares have decreased by 2%, while the S&P 500 has increased by 13.2% [14]

Core Insights - The article discusses the potential for Palantir Technologies to reach a $1 trillion market cap, driven by its unique approach to artificial intelligence (AI) and strong revenue growth [3][11][17] Company Overview - Palantir Technologies, with a current market capitalization of $359 billion, has developed a successful and profitable AI strategy, distinguishing itself from competitors still formulating their AI plans [3][5] - The company has over 20 years of experience in AI, initially focusing on government projects before pivoting to enterprise solutions [5][6] AI Strategy and Performance - Palantir's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) leverages generative AI to create tailored solutions for businesses, which has significantly boosted its performance [6][8] - The company conducts "boot camps" to demonstrate AIP's utility, allowing users to collaborate with engineers on real-world problems [7] - In Q1, Palantir reported revenue of $884 million, a 39% year-over-year increase, with U.S. commercial revenue rising 71% to $255 million [8][9] Future Growth Projections - Palantir's U.S. commercial segment is projected to grow at least 68% by 2025, an increase from a previous forecast of 54% [10] - Wall Street anticipates Palantir will generate $3.9 billion in sales by 2025, with a forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of approximately 91 [12] - The company is expected to achieve annual revenue growth of 34.3% over the next five years, potentially reaching a $1 trillion market cap by 2029 [13] Analyst Insights - Wedbush analyst Dan Ives predicts Palantir's market cap could hit $1 trillion between 2027 and 2028, emphasizing the ongoing AI revolution as a growth driver [14] - Ives believes the market is underestimating the revenue potential of Palantir's AIP U.S. commercial business [14] Market Context - The AI market is projected to grow to between $2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion annually, indicating significant opportunities for companies like Palantir [16]