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Self-learning notes made for brilliant minds! |
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ARM
AVGO
Berkshire
CWAN
FSLR
NNOX
PGY
RXRX
SERV Robotics
SOUN
TSLA
WMT
RR
Forge
Partners Group
Private stock trading company Forge Global unveiled its “private magnificent seven” of significant names that draw big volume on its platform. Forge Global said the companies rank as seven of the most capitalized and best-performing companies in the private market. The seven are SpaceX, OpenAI, ScaleAI, Databricks, Fanatics, Stripe and Rippling. Of the seven, SpaceX and OpenAI have generated the most headlines in recent months. SpaceX is the space company launched by billionaire and Tesla Inc. co-founder Elon Musk. OpenAI is the originator of ChatGPT, which is reportedly raising billions from investors, including potential money from Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp. ScaleAI, a specialist in infrastructure for AI computing. Fanatics is a digital sports platform that offers merchandise, trading cards and collectibles, sports betting and iGaming. Stripe is a financial services company, and Rippling specializes in human resources on its software-as-a-service platform. Forge Global said the share prices of the seven privately traded companies have outperformed the S&P 500 index’s publicly traded so-called “magnificent seven” that have fueled much of the gains in the stock market in recent years. Those seven stocks include Tesla, Apple, Nvidia, Amazon.com, Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc., and Meta Platforms Inc. Forge Global said that the private magnificent seven have a collective market value of about $473 billion. “Though smaller in size, the private magnificent seven has outperformed its public market counterpart by 16.9% in the 12-month period ending August 31,” Forge Global said. Forge Global said the private group’s price performance rose 55.3%, outpacing the 38.4% gain in the public magnificent seven’s rise over the same period. While Stripe and others have been the subject of speculation around initial public offerings, they have multiple ways of raising capital in private markets, Forge Global said. Individual investors can trade privately held stocks only if they qualify as accredited investors who have a net worth of $1 million outside the value of their primary home. Buy stock in companies that make products and services you believe in. Only sell if you think their products and services are trending worse. Don’t panic when the market does. The strategy will serve you well in the long term. W37 $NVDA Nvidia more than doubled sales last calendar year, and it’s expected to do the same this year. The company likely won’t be able to keep up that rapid growth rate in the future, but it’s still expected to be a relatively fast grower within its sector. Analysts, on average, model a nearly 33% compound annual growth rate for Nvidia’s revenue through calendar 2026. That’s notable as some investors have started to get worried about Nvidia’s growth potential for calendar 2026, especially in light of a less dramatic revenue beat in the latest quarter and swirling questions about the return on investment for AI spending. If big cloud customers and others don’t see enough AI revenue to justify their investments, they may be less inclined to pour more money into AI hardware. W36 $TSLA Tesla Inc. plans to launch the advanced driver assistance system that it calls Full Self Driving technology in China and Europe in the first quarter of next year, pending regulatory approvals. $NVDA is investing in Sakana AI and partnering with the artificial intelligence research company to spur AI development in Japan. Sakana AI, founded by Google engineers in 2023, announced the collaboration with the U.S.-based chip giant on Wednesday, saying it raised over $100 million from a group of investors. cus·to·dy [ˈkəstədē] noun. The protective care or guardianship of someone or something: "The property was placed in the custody of a trustee." $BRK Shares of Warren Buffett's holding company, Berkshire Hathaway, rose in intraday trading on Wednesday, pushing its market capitalization above $1 trillion for the first time. Berkshire is just the 8th U.S. company, and 9th in the world, to cross the $1 trillion mark. In his six decades at the helm of Berkshire, Buffett has made the company a financial and industrial behemoth, and grown its equity portfolio to nearly $300 billion. W35 $NVDA Nvidia shares are poised to drop further after the US Justice Department sent subpoenas to the firm and other companies as it seeks evidence the chipmaker violated antitrust laws . Officials are concerned Nvidia is making it harder to switch to other suppliers and penalizes buyers that don't exclusively use its artificial intelligence chips. The DOJ, which had previously delivered questionnaires to companies, is now sending legally binding requests that oblige recipients to provide information, taking the government a step closer to launching a formal complaint. $BRK Buffett sells $BAC. /sell/ (NASDAQ: $WMT) Walmart is extending its competition with Amazon.com deeper into the logistics arena by opening its fulfillment services to merchants who want to fill orders from customers on platforms outside the retailer’s own marketplace. Walmart said third-party sellers will soon be able to use Walmart’s warehousing, delivery and returns services to fill orders placed on platforms beyond Walmart’s website, including Target, Etsy and even Amazon. The country’s largest retailer by revenue said it would also start offering to handle imports on behalf of merchants from ports of origin in Asia to Walmart’s U.S. distribution centers, and will offer sellers access to less-than-truckload and full-truckload shipments at discounted rates. /read/ W34 --- (NASDAQ: $MSFT) Leaked Microsoft Corp. pay data shows a substantial disparity in favor of AI engineers, underlining the company’s significant investment in AI. Several Microsoft employees voluntarily disclosed their salary and promotion details through an unofficial spreadsheet. This document, which includes over 500 entries, offers a glimpse into the tech giant’s compensation structure. The data analysis indicated that the average total compensation for software engineers in Microsoft’s newly formed AI organization was $377,611, a figure that’s at least $120,000 higher than the averages in other Microsoft divisions. This team was established in March to enhance Microsoft’s consumer-AI strategy, under the leadership of DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman. Despite a company-wide salary freeze and a decrease in bonus and stock award budget last year, Microsoft resumed performance-based pay raises this year. The pay gap between Microsoft’s AI division and the rest of the company is clear, emphasizing the company’s significant commitment to AI. While the data is based on self-reporting by Microsoft employees and may not provide a comprehensive view, it does underscore the pay disparity within the company. The pay gap underscores Microsoft’s strategic focus on AI. The company’s significant investment in AI is a part of its long-term strategy to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving tech industry. The formation of a new AI division and the hiring of high-profile AI experts like DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman further highlights this focus. The pay disparity is a clear indication of the value Microsoft places on AI expertise, reflecting the growing importance of AI in the tech industry. (NASDAQ:SOUN) SoundHound AI Stock Has Soared 136% This Year, and Here's Why August 23, 2024 — 05:29 am EDT Written by Anthony Di Pizio for The Motley Fool. Annual Revenue (NASDAQ:SOUN) SOUNDHOUND AI, INC.: MARCUS LAWRENCE (Director) Sells 50,000 @ Avg Price: $5.02 (Form4) (NASDAQ:NVDA) Nvidia Earnings 'More Important' Than Jerome Powell's Jackson Hole Speech For Wall Street, Says Expert. Peter Boockvar, a renowned market analyst, recently shared his expectations for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming commentary and its potential market implications. “Nvidia is going to be more important than what Powell says. The economic data actually mattered more for the markets directly, not in terms of its implications for the Fed, and the earnings from the big names had much more of an impact on the markets than the Fed.” Boockvar also highlighted that Nvidia Corp is going to cap the whole AI trade next week when it announces its latest quarterly results on Wednesday. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is willing to pay up to $48 an hour for employees who collect data that it will then use to train its humanoid robots. What Happened: Tesla is looking to hire “Data Collection operators” in Palo Alto, California, who will collect data to train its bots. The job description on Tesla’s Careers page reads that the individual will walk a predetermined test route daily for data collection and perform designation movement and actions wearing a motion capture suit and virtual reality headset, among other tasks. “Note that the use of VR headsets or working in a virtual environment can be disorienting and uncomfortable for some people, which can result in VR sickness symptoms,” the company warns in the job description while adding that the individual will be required to work across multiple shifts and overtime when needed. The person must be between 5’7″ and 5'11″ in height and must also be able to walk over 7 hours a day carrying up to 30 lbs. The expected compensation for the role is between $25.25 to $48 an hour. For context, the minimum wage currently mandated in California is $16 an hour. At the top range of the compensation being offered by Tesla, an employee training the company’s humanoid bots would earn three times California’s mandated minimum wage. Why It Matters: During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in June, Musk said there will be at least one humanoid robot for every person in the world in the future, implying a total humanoid robot population of at least 10 billion or more, of which the EV company will have a significant share. Tesla’s humanoid robot is called Optimus. "While autonomous vehicle is a $5-$7 trillion market cap situation, Optimus is a $25 trillion market cap situation," Musk then said. Musk said last month that the EV company would have "genuinely useful" humanoid robots in low production for use within its factories next year. The company will "hopefully" increase production for other customers in 2026, he added. Two Optimus bots are already employed in Tesla’s Fremont factory, taking cells off the end of the production line and placing them in containers, the CEO confirmed in early June. Musk expects to be able to sell Optimus at $10,000 or $20,000, at a lower price point than Tesla's cheapest Model 3 sedan, once it reaches high-volume production. (NASDAQ:TSLA) China is making strides in the race against Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc. to develop battery-powered humanoid robots for use in electric vehicle (EV) assembly lines. What Happened: The World Robot Conference in Beijing showcased humanoid robots from over two dozen Chinese companies designed to operate in factories and warehouses. This push towards robotics is backed by President Xi Jinping’s policy of fostering “new productive forces” in technology, Reuters reported on Friday. Beijing and Shanghai launched a $1.4 billion state-backed fund for robotics earlier this year. The robots displayed at the conference are built using components from domestic suppliers, some of whom also cater to the EV industry. Goldman Sachs predicted in January that the global market for humanoid robots could reach $38 billion by 2035, with nearly 1.4 million shipments for consumer and industrial applications. The cost of materials to build these robots was estimated to be around $150,000 each in 2023, excluding R&D costs. Shanghai Kepler Exploration Robotics, co-founded by CEO Hu Debo, is working on its fifth version of a worker robot for factory trials. Hu anticipates the sales price to be less than $30,000. When Tesla launched its Shanghai factory in 2019, Chinese officials expected the EV pioneer to stimulate the local industry. Tesla’s Optimus robot, introduced in 2021, has had a similar effect, according to Hu. Despite being outperformed by many Chinese humanoids at the conference, Optimus was one of the most popular exhibits. A sign beside Optimus read, “Next year, more than 1,000 of my compatriots will be in the factory.” Why It Matters: China has viewed humanoid robots as catalysts for “disruptive innovation” and economic growth. The Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre, established with contributions from private and state-owned entities, focuses on creating a unified technology platform and industry standards. China’s rapid advancements in artificial intelligence are significantly accelerating the development of humanoid robots. Local companies like Baidu have introduced similar chatbots and AI models, further propelling progress in this field. (NYSE:WMT) Evercore ISI Group analyst Greg Melich maintains Walmart with a Outperform and raises the price target from $78 to $80. (NASDAQ:TSLA) As per comments from Tesla executive Lars Moravy in April, Tesla will commence production of the Semi in late 2025. Still, vehicles will start rolling out to external customers only in 2026. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has reportedly delayed the mass production of its highly anticipated folding MacBook, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known analyst. What Happened: Kuo, an analyst at TF Securities, said on X, “Folding MacBook survey update-mass production time will be significantly delayed.” Technical issues related to displays and mechanisms have pushed back the assembly and mass production timeline from the first half of 2026 to the end of 2027 or 2028. He added that the final size of the folding MacBook will be 18.8 inches, following the decision to scrap the 20.25-inch design. Kuo also stated that previously, the market had expected the launch of a folding iPad in 2025. However, recent supply chain surveys suggest that the folding iPad is not yet on the horizon. “This may also be because some people call this folding MacBook a folding iPad,” he said. Why It Matters: Earlier this year, there were rumours that Cupertino might be abandoning the innovation of foldable devices. However, a supply chain report in February suggested that Apple is working on a foldable iPad or MacBook. Later in May, Kuo reported that the foldable MacBook could feature a crease-free panel, a design goal that has resulted in high costs for both the panel and hinge. Preliminary estimates put these costs at around $600–$650 and $200–$250, respectively. However, these costs could decrease if production yields improve significantly by the time of mass production. The product is expected to use the M5 series processor. (NASDAQ:MSFT) Microsoft Sees Q1 Intelligent Cloud Revenue $23.8B - $24.1B; Azure Revenue To Decline 1-2 Points Sequentially; Sees Q1 Productivity And Business Processes Revenue $27.75B - $28.05B, More Personal Computing Revenue $12.25B - $12.65B. (NASDAQ:NNOX) Nanox.AI, A Subsidiary Of Nanox, Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance For HealthCCSng V2.0 Introducing 'Zero Calcium' Categorization And Numerical Coronary Artery Calcium Score, Marking The Second FDA Clearance For HealthCCSng Product. (NASDAQ:ARM) shares are trading higher after Elliott Management added to its position in the company. (NASDAQ:BRK) Berkshire Hathaway Q2 2024 13F Adds New Positions In Ulta Beauty With 690,106 Shares And Heico Corp With 1.04M Shares; Completely Exits Positions In Snowflake And Paramount Global. (NASDAQ:SOUN) HC Wainwright & Co. analyst Scott Buck reiterates SoundHound AI with a Buy and maintains a $7 price target. W33 (NASDAQ:SOUN) SoundHound AI, Inc. shares are trading higher Monday after the company announced the acquisition of Amelia and its second-quarter earnings last week. SoundHound's second-quarter results beat analyst expectations on the top and bottom lines, and the company raised its full-year and 2025 revenue guidance. Following the print, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said SoundHound “continues to see demand for its voice AI products pick up across its automotive and restaurant segments, signing various large brand deals fueling growth while grabbing market share in the conversational AI market.” SoundHound AI also announced the acquisition of Amelia, which it said will accelerate and scale its customer service offering and add the potential to expand across the healthcare, financial services, and retail sectors. Dan Ives described Amelia as “an enterprise AI software company which has $45+ million in recurring AI software revenue that will improve SOUN’s position within voice and conversational AI while expanding into new verticals such as retail, financial services, healthcare, smart devices, and more.” (NASDAQ:PGY) JMP Securities analyst David Scharf reiterates Pagaya Techs with a Market Outperform and maintains $25 price target. (NASDAQ:RXRX) Needham analyst Gil Blum maintains Recursion Pharmaceuticals with a Buy and lowers the price target from $17 to $16. |
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