Palanteer reporting fourth quarter earnings just moments ago. Let's get some more reaction with Shai Balor, chief market strategist at Futurum. Shai Palanteer just reported results crossed the wire.We are surging here. We're up about 8% in the after hours. What do you make of the results, Shai.First and most important, the growth debate is officially over. I mean, I think a lot of the AI bears were bracing for a deceleration Palanteer's 2026 guidance. We actually got a receleration.Uh they were embracing fo ...

Group 1 - Micron is the chief rival of South Korea's Samsung and SK Hynix in the memory-chip market [1]

How do you play the memory boom without chasing these data storage stocks. The four big players in the space, Micron, Western Digital, Seagate just reported, and Sandis, each more than tripled last year, and they keep running in 2026. Just since the beginning of the year, SanDisk has more than double.The other three are up anywhere from 35 to 50%. I don't want to chase those. I don't chase the storage memory place because even though there's a severe shortage of this stuff thanks to the data center buildout ...

The Federal Reserve kicks off its two-day meeting later in the day. The central bank is widely expected to keep the Fed funds rate unchanged in a range of 3.50% to 3.75% following three consecutive cuts at the end of 2025. Investors will closely watch Chair Jerome Powell’s post-policy meeting press conference for any signals on when rates could be cut again. “We expect Fed Chair Jerome Powell to emphasize that future rate moves will depend on how the economic data evolve,” HSBC economists said in a note. U. ...

Core Insights - The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure by U.S. tech firms is significantly impacting the global memory chip supply, leading to increased prices as manufacturers prioritize data center components over consumer devices [1][12] Industry Overview - Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, the top three memory chip producers, are struggling to meet demand, reporting strong quarterly earnings due to rising semiconductor prices [2][12] - Research firms IDC and Counterpoint predict a decline in global smartphone sales by at least 2% this year, marking the first annual drop since 2023 [3][12] - The PC market is expected to contract by at least 4.9% in 2026, following an 8.1% growth last year, while console sales are projected to decrease by 4.4% this year after a 5.8% growth in 2025 [4][12] Manufacturer Challenges - Manufacturers like Apple and Dell face difficult decisions regarding whether to absorb rising costs or pass them onto consumers, risking demand suppression [5][12] - Analysts expect that the ongoing price increases will lead to weaker consumer device sales in 2026, compounded by broader inflationary pressures [6][12] - Counterpoint estimates memory prices could rise by 40% to 50% in Q1, following a 50% surge last year [6][12] Price Inflation Impact - Some products have experienced a staggering 1,000% price inflation over the last two quarters, with consumers likely to see significantly higher prices for laptops, mobile phones, wearables, and gaming devices soon [7][12] - The impact of rising prices is expected to be most severe for low- and mid-range device manufacturers, including Chinese smartphone makers like Xiaomi and PC firms like Lenovo [7][12] Stock Market Reactions - Shares of companies such as Raspberry Pi, Xiaomi, Dell, HP Inc., and Lenovo fell in the last quarter of 2025, with Xiaomi experiencing a notable 27.2% decline [8][12] - HP has announced plans to raise PC prices due to significant memory chip costs, while Raspberry Pi's CEO described the cost surge as "painful" [8][12] Retail Sector Implications - The weaker demand outlook may negatively affect sales at electronics retailers like Best Buy, which had previously warned that tariff-driven price increases could deter potential buyers [9][12] Company-Specific Insights - Apple is considered better positioned to handle the memory chip price surge due to its scale, pricing power, and supplier network, typically maintaining stable prices for its flagship iPhone lineup [11][12] - Apple has absorbed substantial tariff-related costs in the past without passing them on to customers, although it may need to raise prices to cover higher input costs [11][12]

Core Viewpoint - Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) is a significant player in the data storage industry, with a new price target set at $230 by Evercore ISI, indicating a potential upside from its current trading price of $221.51 [1][5] Company Performance - The current stock price of WDC is $221.51, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.27% or $0.59, with a trading range between $216.83 and $229.99 during the day [2][5] - Over the past year, WDC has shown significant volatility, with a high of $230.48 and a low of $28.83 [2] Market Position - Western Digital's market capitalization is approximately $75.93 billion, indicating a strong position in the data storage industry [4] - The trading volume for the day is 8,950,350 shares, demonstrating active investor interest [4] Industry Trends - The ongoing AI trade is driving demand for memory chips, which benefits Western Digital and its competitors, including Micron and SanDisk [3][5]

Company Overview - Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) is a significant player in the data storage industry, recognized for its hard drives and solid-state drives [1] - The company's market capitalization is approximately $75.93 billion, indicating its substantial presence in the industry [4] Stock Performance - On January 16, 2026, Evercore ISI upgraded WDC to an "Outperform" rating, raising the price target from $190 to $230, reflecting confidence in the company's future performance [1][5] - Currently, WDC's stock is priced at $221.51, showing a slight decrease of 0.27% or $0.59, with fluctuations between a low of $216.83 and a high of $229.99 on the day [3][5] - Over the past year, WDC has experienced a high of $230.48 and a low of $28.83, indicating its volatile nature in the market [3] Industry Trends - The upgrade by Evercore ISI aligns with a broader trend in the industry, as both Western Digital and its competitor Seagate (STX) have seen significant stock rallies due to the ongoing AI trade, which is driving demand for memory chips [2] - Companies like Western Digital, Seagate, Micron (MU), and SanDisk (SNDK) are benefiting from the increased demand for memory chips driven by the AI trade [2]

If you want full access to all our reports, data and investing ideas, join The Aerospace Forum , the #1 aerospace, defense and airline investment research service on Seeking Alpha, with access to evoX Data Analytics, our in-house developed data analytics platform.Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) stock has surged 24% since my last report , outperforming the S&P 500 ( SP500 ), which remained more or less flat. In my previous report, I noted that memory priceDhierin-Perkash Bechai is an aerospace, defense and ai ...

Core Insights - Tesla has officially lost its title as the world's largest electric vehicle maker to BYD, a Chinese automotive company [1] - Despite the news, Tesla's share price remains above $425, close to its all-time high [1] - The article questions whether investing in Tesla shares is advisable or if funds would be better allocated to AI stocks [1] Tesla's Performance - Tesla's stock price has dipped following the loss of its title, with a reported 8.5% increase in share price for the year, which is significantly lower compared to AI stocks [4][7] - Tesla's revenue decreased by 2.1% and profits fell by 27.8% over the past year [6][7] AI Stocks Performance - In 2025, AI stocks experienced remarkable growth: Vertiv's stock rose by 54.5%, Alphabet's by 66.5%, and Micron's by 275% [4] - Revenue growth for AI companies was modest: Alphabet's revenue increased by 10.2%, Vertiv's by 21%, and Micron's by 35.1% [5] - Profit growth for AI companies was substantial: Alphabet's net income rose by 24.1%, Vertiv's by 108.6%, and Micron's by 154.9% [6] Investment Comparison - For the cost of two Tesla shares (over $800), investors could purchase one share each of Alphabet, Micron, and Vertiv, totaling approximately $805 [3] - The article suggests that the AI stocks are more reasonably valued compared to Tesla, despite their significant price growth [7][8] - Overall, the performance of AI stocks appears to be a better investment option compared to Tesla, given their growth in both revenue and profits [8]

Core Insights - Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) experienced a significant stock increase of 239.1% in 2025, outperforming the S&P 500 Index which rose by 18.7% [1] - The company has benefited from the AI boom, leading to strong demand for its memory chips, with other competitors like Sandisk, Seagate, and Western Digital also seeing substantial stock gains [2] - Micron is well-positioned to capitalize on the ongoing demand for memory solutions in AI and high-performance computing (HPC) [3] Financial Performance - In Q1 fiscal 2026, Micron reported a revenue increase of 57% year over year, reaching $13.64 billion, and a non-GAAP EPS increase of 167% to $4.78 [12] - The non-GAAP gross margin improved to 56.8% from 39.5% in the previous year, and non-GAAP operating income rose to $6.42 billion from $2.39 billion [13] - Analysts project continued growth for fiscal 2026, with revenue and EPS expected to grow by 89.3% and 278.3% year over year, respectively [14] Market Position and Strategy - Micron's diversification strategy has shifted focus from volatile consumer electronics to more stable sectors like automotive and enterprise IT, enhancing revenue stability [7] - The company is also experiencing strong demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), particularly its HBM3E products, which are suited for AI workloads [8] - Micron's role as a core HBM supplier for NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 GPUs indicates its deep integration within the AI supply chain [10] Valuation and Investment Appeal - Despite strong growth, Micron's stock trades at a forward P/E ratio of 9.12, significantly lower than the S&P 500 average of 23.11, making it attractive for long-term investors [15] - Compared to peers, Micron's P/E ratio is lower than Seagate, Western Digital, and Sandisk, reinforcing the case for investment given its exposure to AI growth [18] - The company is recommended as a buy due to its strong fundamentals, established position in the AI-driven memory market, and competitive valuation [20]