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Microsoft fires 2 staffers who broke into president's office to protest Israel ties
New York Post· 2025-08-28 15:14
Microsoft said Thursday it fired two employees after an anti-Israel group broke into President Brad Smith’s office to protest the software firm’s alleged ties to the war in Gaza.A group of seven current and former staffers on Tuesday burst into Smith’s office, located in Redmond, Wash., and demanded the company end its support of Israel – following reports that its software was used by the military as part of its invasion of Gaza. 6 Staffers burst into the office and blocked others from entering. No Azure ...
Can Unity Software's AI Engine Vector Fuel Long-Term Growth?
ZACKS· 2025-08-07 16:55
Core Insights - Unity Software Inc. launched Unity Vector, an AI-powered advertising platform, in early 2025, enhancing its digital platform capabilities [1] - The launch resulted in a 15-20% increase in app installations and in-app purchase value, indicating strong initial performance [2] - Unity Software anticipates long-term revenue growth and improved margins from Vector, despite short-term instability during the phased rollout [3] Digital Platform Expansion - Unity Vector, along with other digital tools like Unity Ad Network and Unity Mediation, is expected to improve revenue visibility and profitability [2] - The company is investing in Vector to ensure efficiency and real-time processes, which are crucial for its long-term success [3] Growth Solutions Segment - The Grow Solution segment is projected to benefit from Vector's capabilities, with expectations of mid-single-digit sequential revenue growth in Q3 2025 [4] Competitive Landscape - Unity Software faces competition from major players like Microsoft and AppLovin in the advertising and gaming sectors [5][7] - Microsoft offers development toolkits and has a strong presence in the gaming ecosystem, while AppLovin competes directly in mobile advertising [6][7] Stock Performance and Valuation - Unity Software's stock has increased by 50% year-to-date, outperforming industry benchmarks [8][9] - The stock is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio of 7.04, indicating a premium valuation compared to industry peers [10] Earnings Estimates - EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been revised to a loss of 80 cents and 65 cents, respectively, but still reflect year-over-year growth of 52.4% and 18.1% [11]
Can Nebius Monetize Its Bets on ClickHouse, Avride and Toloka?
ZACKS· 2025-07-15 15:01
Core Insights - Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) is experiencing significant stock price growth, up 146.4% in the past three months, compared to the S&P 500's 18.9% increase [1] - The company reported a remarkable revenue growth of 385% in the last quarter, driven by increasing demand for its AI-infrastructure services [1][11] Business Ventures - In addition to its core AI business, NBIS holds a 28% stake in ClickHouse, valued at approximately $6 billion, which could serve as a substantial capital source if monetized [2] - Other investments include stakes in Toloka, an AI data partner, TripleTen, an edtech platform, and Avride, an autonomous vehicle platform [2][11] - Toloka is backed by notable investors like Jeff Bezos and Mikhail Parakhin, which positions it for rapid scaling amid rising global demand for high-quality AI data [3] Strategic Partnerships - Avride has formed partnerships with major companies such as Uber, Hyundai, GrubHub, and Rakuten, indicating strong market positioning [4] - Nebius is in discussions with potential third-party investors, suggesting additional avenues for capital generation [4] Competitive Landscape - CoreWeave (CRWV) is a competitor in the AI-infrastructure space, reporting a 420% revenue growth in Q1 2025 and focusing on infrastructure expansion through acquisitions [6] - Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) remains a dominant player in the tech sector, heavily investing in AI infrastructure and holding significant stakes in companies like OpenAI [8][9] Financial Performance - Year-to-date, NBIS shares have increased by 87.5%, outperforming the Internet – Software and Services industry's growth of 23.8% [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NBIS' earnings for 2025 has remained unchanged over the past 30 days [13] - Currently, NBIS shares are trading at a price/book ratio of 3.87X, slightly lower than the industry's ratio of 4.1X [16]
Will CRWV's Core Scientific Buyout Unleash Financial & AI Synergies?
ZACKS· 2025-07-10 14:00
Core Acquisition Overview - CoreWeave, Inc. has agreed to acquire Core Scientific, Inc. in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $9 billion, aimed at modernizing AI and high-performance computing infrastructure [1][8] - The acquisition is part of CoreWeave's strategy to deepen vertical integration, accelerate growth, enhance operational efficiency, and achieve long-term market leadership [1] Transaction Details - CoreWeave will issue 0.1235 shares of its Class A common stock for each share of Core Scientific, valuing Core Scientific at $20.40 per share, which is a 66% premium over its unaffected closing price as of June 25, 2025 [2] - The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, with Core Scientific shareholders owning less than 10% of the combined company post-acquisition [2] Infrastructure and Financial Impact - CoreWeave will gain Core Scientific's 1.3 GW power infrastructure, with an additional 1 GW expansion potential, providing significant growth opportunities for AI infrastructure [2] - The acquisition will allow CoreWeave to eliminate $10 billion in lease obligations, leading to projected annual cost savings of $500 million by the end of 2027 [3][8] - The combination of Core Scientific's capabilities in data center construction and power procurement with CoreWeave's expertise in AI and HPC cloud workloads will create a more vertically integrated company [3] Strategic Acquisitions - CoreWeave is focused on acquisitions to enhance AI advancements across industries, strengthen existing infrastructure, and improve customer engagement, which is expected to lead to higher revenues and shareholder value [4] Competitive Landscape - CoreWeave faces competition from Nebius Group N.V., which is building its AI infrastructure business through organic growth and has raised $72 million for its ventures [5] - Microsoft is a major player in AI infrastructure, investing $16.7 billion in cloud and AI infrastructure in the third quarter of fiscal 2025, further solidifying its position in the market [6] Stock Performance - CoreWeave's shares have gained 282.6% year to date, significantly outperforming the Internet Software industry's growth of 17.7% [7]