Nasdaq leads Wall Street higher as Supreme Court rules Trump's tariffs are unlawful Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock 4:11pm: Tariff relief US stocks finished Friday’s session higher as investors welcomed the news that the Supreme Court ruled Trump’s tariffs on its trade partners are unlawful. The Nasdaq led the gains, up 0.9% at 22,886 points. The S&P 500 was up 0.7% at 6,909 points and the Dow Jones added 0.5% at 49,625 points. 2:30pm: Trump threatens more tariffs President Trump respo ...

Core Insights - The company reported strong fiscal second-quarter 2026 results, with revenue increasing by 6% year-over-year to $2.4 billion and total segment EBITDA rising by 9% to $521 million, indicating accelerating growth in both revenue and profitability [4][6][5] - Management emphasized a strategic shift towards recurring revenue and accelerated share buybacks, with $172 million in shares repurchased during the quarter, significantly higher than the previous year [1][6] - The company is positioning its proprietary content as increasingly valuable in the age of AI, citing a $1.5 billion payout from Anthropic for the use of pirated books and ongoing negotiations for additional AI licensing agreements [5][8] Financial Performance - Total segment EBITDA growth has been consistent for eleven consecutive quarters, driven by three core growth pillars: Dow Jones, Digital Real Estate, and Book Publishing, which collectively accounted for 95% of profitability in the quarter [2][6] - Adjusted earnings per share increased to $0.40 from $0.33 in the prior quarter, while net income from continuing operations fell by 21% year-over-year to $242 million, attributed to the absence of a prior year's gain [4][6] Segment Highlights - Dow Jones reported record results with revenue of $648 million, up 8% year-over-year, and segment EBITDA of $191 million, up 10%, achieving a profit margin of 29.5% [10][11] - Digital Real Estate Services saw revenue rise by 10% to $511 million, driven by premium products and improved lead volume, while Book Publishing revenue grew by 6% to $633 million [14][17] - In News Media, revenue remained flat at $570 million, with EBITDA declining by 5% to $70 million due to challenges in the print advertising market [18] Strategic Initiatives - The company is focusing on enhancing its digital offerings and increasing engagement through enterprise partnerships, which have contributed to a 12% increase in digital volumes, reaching over six million subscriptions [13][11] - Management is optimistic about the second half of the fiscal year, expecting continued strong B2B growth at Dow Jones and addressing advertising challenges in News Media through cost efficiencies [19][19]

Group 1 - The media company's CEO indicated there are 'favorable signs' for the second half of its fiscal year [1]

Core Insights - News Corp. (NWSA) is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.33 per share, indicating no change from the previous year, with revenues forecasted at $2.31 billion, reflecting a 3.2% year-over-year increase [1] Revenue Estimates - The consensus estimate for 'Revenues by Product (GAAP)- Dow Jones' is $634.43 million, showing a year-over-year change of +5.7% [4] - 'Revenues by Product (GAAP)- Book Publishing' is projected to be $610.40 million, indicating a +2.6% change from the prior-year quarter [4] - 'Revenues by Product (GAAP)- Digital Real Estate Services' is expected to reach $500.80 million, suggesting a +5.9% year-over-year change [5] - 'Revenues by Product (GAAP)- News Media' is anticipated to be $563.68 million, reflecting a -1.1% change from the year-ago quarter [5] EBITDA Estimates - 'EBITDA- Dow Jones' is projected at $184.22 million, compared to $174.00 million from the same quarter last year [6] - 'EBITDA- News Media' is expected to be $64.18 million, down from $74.00 million in the previous year [6] - 'EBITDA- Book Publishing' is estimated at $104.29 million, slightly up from $101.00 million in the same quarter last year [7] - 'EBITDA- Digital Real Estate Services' is projected to be $200.15 million, compared to $185.00 million from the previous year [7] Stock Performance - Shares of News Corp. have declined by -5.5% over the past month, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite has increased by +0.9% [7]

Core Viewpoint - The Dow Jones 30 and S&P 500 are experiencing slight pullbacks, but these are viewed as buying opportunities as both indices are expected to continue their upward trends towards significant resistance levels. Group 1: Dow Jones 30 Analysis - The Dow Jones 30 has shown a minor pullback, forming a potential double top, but the market is anticipated to target the 49,000 level in the future [1] - Short-term pullbacks are considered buying opportunities, with the 48,000 level acting as a strong support floor [1] Group 2: S&P 500 Analysis - The S&P 500 has also experienced a slight pullback, indicating a potential buy on the dip situation [3] - The index recently touched an all-time high, suggesting no major issues are present, with the 6,800 level expected to provide support along with the 50-day EMA [4] - The market is expected to challenge the 7,000 level in the near future, reinforcing the buy on the pullback strategy [4]

Core Insights - News Corporation (NWSA) is a diversified media and information services company with a market capitalization of approximately $14.6 billion, allowing for a balanced portfolio across various sectors [2] Financial Performance - NWSA stock has underperformed, trading 18.1% below its September high of $31.61 and falling 12.9% over the past three months, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 5.2% during the same period [3] - Over the past 52 weeks, NWSA stock decreased by 9.6% and is down nearly 6% year-to-date, contrasting with the Dow's advances of 10.1% and 13.1% respectively [4] - The stock has been trading below its 50-day moving average of $26.05 and its 200-day moving average of $27.81 since October, indicating a transitional trend in the market [5] Recent Developments - On November 7, NWSA shares rose by 6.5% following the release of Q3 fiscal 2025 results, which exceeded expectations with revenue of $2.14 billion, a 2.3% year-over-year increase, and EPS of $0.20, surpassing analyst estimates of $0.18 [6] - The revenue growth was primarily driven by the performance of Dow Jones and Digital Real Estate Services, attributed to increased demand for digital subscriptions and data analytics, as well as early signs of recovery in the U.S. real estate market [7] Future Outlook - Management believes that sustained strength in digital businesses and stabilization in real estate markets will be crucial for future growth, with expectations of benefiting from new AI-related partnerships and continued investment in high-margin content licensing [8]

Core Insights - News Corp. reported a revenue of $2.14 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, reflecting a decline of 16.8% year-over-year, while EPS increased to $0.22 from $0.21 in the previous year [1] - The revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.11 billion by 1.53%, and the EPS surpassed the consensus estimate of $0.18 by 22.22% [1] Revenue Performance - Dow Jones revenue was $586 million, slightly below the average estimate of $586.05 million, showing a year-over-year increase of 6.2% [4] - Book Publishing revenue reached $534 million, exceeding the average estimate of $530.29 million, but down 2.2% year-over-year [4] - Digital Real Estate Services generated $479 million, surpassing the average estimate of $473.39 million, with a year-over-year growth of 4.8% [4] - News Media revenue was $545 million, above the average estimate of $522.49 million, marking a 4.6% increase compared to the previous year [4] EBITDA Analysis - Dow Jones EBITDA was reported at $144 million, closely matching the average estimate of $144.07 million [4] - News Media EBITDA significantly improved to $30 million, compared to the average estimate of $16.34 million [4] - Other EBITDA was reported at -$50 million, better than the average estimate of -$58 million [4] - Book Publishing EBITDA was $58 million, below the average estimate of $69.29 million [4] - Digital Real Estate Services EBITDA was $158 million, slightly below the average estimate of $158.62 million [4] Stock Performance - Over the past month, News Corp. shares have declined by 5.1%, contrasting with a 1.3% increase in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Insights - News Corp reported Q3 CY2025 results that exceeded Wall Street's revenue expectations, with sales increasing by 2.3% year-on-year to $2.14 billion and a GAAP profit of $0.20 per share, which was 9.4% above analysts' consensus estimates [1][6]. Company Overview - News Corp, established in 2013 after a restructuring, is a multinational conglomerate involved in news publishing, broadcasting, digital media, and book publishing [3]. Revenue Growth - Despite a modest year-on-year revenue growth of 2.3%, News Corp's long-term performance has been inconsistent, with total sales of $8.5 billion for the trailing 12 months being close to its revenue five years ago, indicating lower quality business performance [4][6]. - Over the last two years, News Corp's revenue has declined by 5.1% annually, reflecting suppressed demand within the consumer discretionary sector [5]. Quarterly Performance - The company reported revenue of $2.14 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of $2.10 billion, and an EPS of $0.20 compared to the expected $0.18 [6]. - Adjusted EBITDA was $347 million, exceeding estimates of $331.6 million, with a margin of 16.2% [6]. - Operating margin improved significantly to 56.1%, up from 10.2% in the same quarter last year, and free cash flow turned positive at $4 million, compared to a negative $31 million in the same quarter last year [6]. Segment Performance - News Corp's revenue breakdown shows that its three key segments—Dow Jones, News Media, and Book Publishing—contributed 27.3%, 24.9%, and 25.4% of total revenue, respectively [7]. - Dow Jones and Book Publishing segments averaged year-on-year growth of 4.3% and 3.3%, while News Media experienced an average decline of 2.6% [7]. Future Outlook - Analysts project a revenue growth of 2.8% over the next 12 months, indicating expectations for improved performance from newer products and services, although this remains below the average for the sector [8].

Core Viewpoint - Wall Street analysts anticipate a decline in News Corp.'s quarterly earnings and revenues, indicating potential challenges for the company in the upcoming report [1]. Financial Performance Expectations - Analysts expect News Corp. to report quarterly earnings of $0.18 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 14.3% [1]. - Revenue projections stand at $2.11 billion, down 18.1% from the same quarter last year [1]. - The consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged over the past 30 days, indicating a reassessment of initial projections by analysts [1]. Revenue by Product Estimates - 'Revenues by Product (GAAP) - Dow Jones' is expected to reach $586.05 million, a 6.2% increase from the prior year [4]. - 'Revenues by Product (GAAP) - Book Publishing' is projected at $530.29 million, showing a decline of 2.9% from the previous year [4]. - 'Revenues by Product (GAAP) - Digital Real Estate Services' is estimated at $473.39 million, reflecting a 3.6% increase year-over-year [5]. - 'Revenues by Product (GAAP) - News Media' is expected to be $522.49 million, indicating a slight increase of 0.3% from the year-ago quarter [5]. EBITDA Estimates - 'EBITDA - Dow Jones' is projected to be $144.07 million, up from $131.00 million in the same quarter last year [6]. - 'EBITDA - News Media' is expected to reach $16.34 million, slightly up from $16.00 million year-over-year [6]. - 'EBITDA - Book Publishing' is estimated at $69.29 million, down from $81.00 million in the previous year [7]. - 'EBITDA - Digital Real Estate Services' is projected at $158.62 million, an increase from $140.00 million in the same quarter last year [7]. Stock Performance - News Corp. shares have decreased by 5.8% over the past month, contrasting with a 1% increase in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [7]. - The company holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating expectations of underperformance relative to the overall market in the near term [7].

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference call primarily discusses the precious metals market, particularly focusing on gold and silver, amidst significant market volatility triggered by comments from President Trump. Core Insights and Arguments - **Gold Price Movement**: Spot gold experienced a 6.3% drop, marking the largest single-day decline since April 2013, with current support around $4,100 [3][22] - **Silver Price Movement**: Spot silver saw an 8.7% crash, the biggest drop since 2021, testing down to a $47 handle intraday [4][6] - **Gold-to-Silver Ratio**: The gold-to-silver ratio at 80:1 provided support for the pair, indicating a strategic timing for silver's underperformance relative to gold [7] - **Ownership Transfer**: UBS trading desk noted a transfer of ownership, with stronger hands reducing exposure while new entrants, particularly hedge funds and family offices, increased positions using leveraged structures [9][10] - **Physical Demand**: There was a notable absence of physical demand from India, which is significant given its role as a key buyer in the market [10] - **Funding Pressures**: Funding pressures in both silver and gold are easing as vaults in Shanghai and New York are emptied to alleviate physical tightness in London [11] - **Market Sentiment**: The sentiment remains constructive on gold, but the lack of sticky demand makes it vulnerable in the near term [16] - **ETF Trading Volume**: An unprecedented volume of trading was observed in the SPDR Gold ETF (GLD) [20] - **Bitcoin vs Gold**: The decline in gold prices coincided with a rise in Bitcoin prices, indicating a shift in investor preference [22] - **Mining Stocks Impact**: The GDX (Gold Miners ETF) had one of its worst days since the Global Financial Crisis, highlighting the negative correlation between gold prices and mining stocks [23] Additional Important Insights - **Market Volatility**: The market is experiencing a shift back to positive gamma, which may help reduce intraday volatility and improve liquidity [40] - **Labor to Purchase Gold**: It now takes 116 hours of work in the US to buy one ounce of gold, the highest level in at least 100 years, indicating a significant increase in gold's relative cost [53][57] - **Income Growth vs Gold Prices**: The ratio of hours worked to purchase gold has doubled in 18 months, suggesting that gold prices have outpaced income growth significantly [57] This summary encapsulates the critical developments in the precious metals market as discussed in the conference call, highlighting the volatility, market dynamics, and broader economic implications.