Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

American investors have no shortage of opportunities to deploy capital within the U.S. financial services industry. However, it's a good idea to expand your horizons. There are booming businesses in other parts of the world.

Nu Holdings (NU +0.62%) is a prime example. It has become a banking powerhouse in Latin America. And it now sports a market cap of $59 billion. Here's what investors need to know before buying the fintech stock.

Image source: Getty Images.

All signs point to ongoing success Nu's value proposition is clear. It provides low-cost, transparent, and easy-to-access financial services to an audience that was not only historically underserved but also unfamiliar with a digital-first model. Founded in 2013, this business continues to register phenomenal growth as its adoption soars.

As of March 31, Nu had over 135 million customers, up 14% year over year. An ever-expanding user base propels the top line. First-quarter 2026 revenue jumped 42% to $5.3 billion.

Most of the users are in Brazil, the company's home country. Nu has a presence in Mexico (15 million customers), where it's the third-largest financial institution. And it has nearly 5 million customers in Colombia. Additionally, while it obtains the necessary approvals, the business is planning to start operations in the U.S. next year, which would be a major milestone.

Still in hypergrowth mode, Nu is reporting sizable profits. Its Q1 net income rose 41% year over year, resulting in a margin of 16.4%. Just four years ago in Q1 2022, the business posted a $45 million net loss.

It's understandable that by avoiding the costly overhead that comes with operating a network of physical bank branches, the company runs a leaner model. Its return on equity (ROE) was 29% during Q1. This is significantly higher than JPMorgan Chase, a dominant and scaled financial services entity, which reported an ROE of 19% last quarter.

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Can this fintech stock be a long-term winner? Nu's financial performance has been exceptional. But the stock is under pressure. It has fallen 28% in 2026 (as of June 11), although it has climbed 61% in the past three years.

Chief Financial Officer Guilherme Lago, a seven-year company veteran, will step down on July 13. Nu's expected credit losses were up 76% year over year, which might be scaring the market. The stock was also downgraded by analysts earlier this month.

These are valid headwinds. But for long-term investors, it's hard not to be interested in this opportunity. Nu shares trade at a compelling forward price-to-earnings ratio of 16.1. This Latin American banking empire deserves a closer look.

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase and Nu Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The SpaceX (SPCX +19.17%) initial public offering (IPO) is finally here, and whether you invest in it directly or not, this historic event is likely to impact your portfolio. I say it's historic because it is expected to raise $75 billion for the company, the largest-ever initial public offering.

Whether you've sworn off the IPO, were the lucky recipient of IPO shares, or are planning to buy some as soon as you can, here's what you need to know about the bigger picture.

The markets could be volatile It's not just the size of the offering that's huge; the company's total value is expected to start at $1.8 trillion, and it could soar much higher on the first day of trading. A new stock of that size can't go by unnoticed.

Image source: Getty Images.

Prediction sites are already calling the IPO for over $2 trillion. Pre-IPO futures on crypto exchange Hyperliquid are predicting $2.1 trillion right now, although traders on Polymarket only give it a 5% chance of breaking through $3 trillion.

The S&P 500 has been down this week, and although the decline began with a positive jobs report last Friday, investors might be preparing their funds to buy SpaceX stock. Depending on what happens over the next few days, there could be ripples throughout the market.

It's going to be included in several indexes If you own exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the Nasdaq-100 or the Russell 1000, you might be buying SpaceX stock faster than you think. The Nasdaq and FTSE Russell changed their rules to include it sooner than existing regulations allowed, and it might be added to the Russell 1000 as early as five days from now. New rules might also expand its presence in the Nasdaq-100.

ETFs like the popular Invesco QQQ Trust, which tracks the Nasdaq-100, will have to reallocate their funds to reflect changes in the index.

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Not only will these moves add SpaceX to the ETFs, but they could also impact SpaceX's price, as they have to buy so much stock to reflect the changes.

The Invesco ETF, for example, has $460 billion in assets under management. It's the second-most traded ETF on the market, which could add further volatility to the stock and to the market as a whole. It's a weighted index, with its top positions in Nvidia (8.7%), Apple (7.7%), and Microsoft (5.7%), and those stakes will look very different once SpaceX gets in.

Vanguard has three separate ETFs that track the Russell 1000: the Russell 1000 ETF, the Russell 100 Growth ETF, and the Russell 1000 Value ETF, and many other companies have similar index funds. All these ETFs will be buying SpaceX once it's included in the index.

It's not going to be included in the S&P 500 -- yet S&P Global, the company that owns the S&P 500, has declined to change its regulations to include SpaceX stock. To be included, stocks need to be on the market for at least one year and be profitable, in addition to other requirements.

That will provide some measure of stability for at least a year, when SpaceX stock might be eligible to join the broader index if it's profitable. It reported a $4.9 billion loss in 2025 and a $4.3 billion loss in the 2026 first quarter.

It's just another moment in stock market history These are short-term factors, although they could be significant over the next few days or weeks. If you're a long-term investor who's well-diversified among classes and categories, this IPO ultimately won't make a difference in your portfolio. If the SpaceX IPO does end up inducing heavy market volatility, the important thing is to remain calm and not panic sell.

SpaceX had a successful IPO, as the company quickly reached a $2.1 trillion valuation. Wall Street assumes SpaceX to reach $226 billion in 2030 revenues, which I underline as unrealistic based on a segment-by-segment analysis. The current valuation relies on shaky earnings assumptions, making SPCX an overly risky investment.

Information Andy Jassy shared with the Trump administration sparked an abrupt, sweeping move to halt foreign access to the company's powerful AI tools.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy speaks during an Amazon Devices launch event in New York City, U.S., February 26, 2025. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

June 13 (Reuters) - Amazon (AMZN.O), opens new tab CEO ​Andy Jassy was among tech leaders who raised concerns to ‌senior Trump administration officials this week about security risks in Anthropic’s most advanced AI models, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Amazon did not immediately respond ​to a request for comment.

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Citing national security concerns, the Trump administration ​on Friday directed Anthropic to block any foreign nationals, whether ⁠inside or outside the U.S., from using its latest models, Fable ​5 and Mythos 5. In response, Anthropic said it would disable access to ​the models globally.

In a blog post, Anthropic said on Friday that the U.S. government believes there is a method of bypassing, or "jailbreaking," a safeguard that would prevent Fable ​5 from being used in identifying software vulnerabilities, the company said.

The U.S. ​government restrictions came in the form of an export control, Anthropic said in its ‌blog ⁠post. The U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, which oversees export controls, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Some experts who favor export controls on advanced AI models found the Trump administration's ​action puzzling because ​it affects allied ⁠nations as well as adversaries.

“This was not well thought-out," said Jimmy Goodrich, a senior fellow at the University ​of California's Institute for Global Conflict and Cooperation. "It even ​bans Canadians ⁠and Brits employed at Anthropic from doing research and development.”

Reporting by Abu Sultan in Bengaluru, and Stephen Nellis and ​Greg Bensinger in San Francisco; Editing by Sergio Non and Matthew Lewis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Costco Wholesale (COST +0.67%), Walmart (WMT +0.44%), and Amazon (AMZN 1.24%) have all carved out their own niche in serving retail shoppers. Walmart is known for low prices, Costco sells bulk items, and Amazon sells and ships pretty much anything you need.

As investments, they are also all unique in how they can fit into a portfolio. Finding the winner between the three comes down to holding periods and investing goals.

Image source: Getty Images.

The membership model that keeps making money Walking through a Costco is often described as being on a treasure hunt, with some members even sharing their shopping trips on social media. With its bulk deals and private-label Kirkland Signature brand, Costco has built a loyal following that helps it boast an impressive membership renewal rate. As of its fiscal Q3 2026, Costco's membership renewal rate in the U.S. and Canada was 92.2%, while its worldwide membership renewal rate was 89.7%.

Mostly known for its warehouse shopping experience, Costco is also seeing positive results from connecting more with its customers online. In the third quarter, e-commerce site and app traffic rose 37%, while digitally enabled comparable sales increased 21.5%. While the quarter was strong and the company generally met or slightly beat expectations, the report wasn't enough to impress investors, and the stock price has recently dipped. Costco is richly valued, with a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 43.1, so expectations are high.

Still, over the last five years, Costco has done well by its shareholders, with the stock climbing over 150%. It's also a dividend payer, and while that yield is on the smaller side at 0.6%, Costco is also known for paying out a special dividend from time to time. In 2024, the one-time special dividend payout was $15 per share.

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Constant dividends with a side of tech Walmart is the only Dividend King on the list, earning that title by increasing its dividend payout for 50 or more consecutive years. That shows stability in the company's business model, because no matter what is going on in the economy, it has consistently rewarded its shareholders with dividend increases for the past 53 years. That comes from having a reliable business model.

Unlike some other Dividend Kings, however, Walmart is also known for providing stock price appreciation, particularly over the last five years, with shares also up over 150%, like Costco. That growth can continue over the long term as it infuses more technology into its business, such as its artificial intelligence (AI) shopping agent, Sparky. It also has growing revenue from its Walmart+ membership and a budding advertising division.

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Follow the AI leader Amazon has a retail presence like Walmart and Costco, and it also has a grocery component through its ownership of Whole Foods. But there's an even bigger opportunity outside of the retail sector for Amazon.

Much as in the chip sector for AI, where most roads lead to Nvidia, that's increasingly becoming true with Amazon's cloud business. In its 2026 first-quarter earnings report, Amazon announced new Amazon Web Service (AWS) agreements with Anthropic, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Uber Technologies. In that report, Amazon also announced that AWS revenue increased 28% to $37.6 billion, which was its fastest revenue growth in 15 quarters.

For Amazon, the only catch is that it is judged more as a tech company than a retailer. Tech stocks are usually the first stocks investors rotate out of during periods of heightened economic uncertainty, as they are seen as risky.

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The winning stock Walmart, Costco, and Amazon are well-run companies, and each could be worth holding in a portfolio. But with the idea that you'd be buying a stock in 2026 to hold for years or decades for stock price appreciation, Amazon could offer the most potential thanks to its AI opportunities. It's making heavy investments to win the AI race against other big tech companies, but as those capital expenditures start showing up as revenue and margins improve, that can help the stock price break out.

For long-term investors seeking reliable income, however, Walmart is worth considering. The dividend yield is on the lower side at 0.8%, but that indicates a sustainable yield. Plus, while Amazon could offer more long-term stock price appreciation because of its cloud services and involvement in AI, Walmart's dividend payout can help increase its total return potential.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced new data from the Phase 1 AJX-101 study showing that its investigational type II JAK2 inhibitor (AJ1-11095) demonstrated an encouraging safety profile and promising clinical activity in patients with myelofibrosis who have been failed by a type I JAK2 inhibitor. This first-in-class type II JAK2 inhibitor was designed to selectively bind the type II conformation of the JAK2 kinase in order to potentially provide greater efficacy than existing therapies and a novel treatment option for patients who become resistant to type I JAK2 inhibitors. Lilly recently added this program to its pipeline following the completion of the acquisition of Ajax Therapeutics, Inc.

These data will be highlighted in an oral presentation at the 2026 European Hematology Association (EHA) Annual Meeting taking place in Stockholm, Sweden (Abstract number: S218) and featured in the meeting's press program.

"Patients with myelofibrosis who have been previously treated with an existing type I JAK2 inhibitor face very limited treatment options, highlighting an urgent need for new therapies," said John Mascarenhas, MD, professor of medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and principal investigator of the AJX-101 study. "These early clinical findings suggest that selective targeting of the type II conformation of JAK2 may provide a differentiated approach. With an encouraging safety profile, meaningful spleen size reduction, symptom improvement, and decrease in underlying mutant disease burden, these data, while early, point to the potential to meaningfully impact treatment options for people with certain myeloproliferative neoplasms."

AJX-101 is the first clinical trial to evaluate a type II selective JAK2 inhibitor in patients with myelofibrosis. The trial enrolled 23 patients across five dose levels (25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 mg once daily) in its dose escalation phase. Patients had received a median of two prior therapies, and all had previously received a type I JAK2 inhibitor. The trial enrolled patients across all major myelofibrosis subtypes and driver mutations.

AJ1-11095 demonstrated responses across the standard efficacy endpoints of spleen volume reduction and symptom improvement.1 The SVR35 rate, a reduction in spleen volume of at least 35%, was observed as best response in 70% of patients. The TSS50 rate, indicating at least a 50% improvement in symptom burden, was also seen in 70% of patients at week 12. In addition, reductions in driver mutation variant allele frequency (VAF) were observed in 21 out of 23 patients. Among the 17 patients who reached week 24 of treatment, 59% saw a reduction of 20% or greater and 35% saw a reduction of 50% or greater, including JAK2, MPL, and CALR type 1 and type 2 mutations. VAF reductions are uncommonly observed with existing type I JAK2 inhibitors.2

The overall safety profile for the medicine was generally manageable. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed, and most patients enrolled in the dose escalation phase remain on study (78%).3 The most common treatment-emergent adverse events across all dose levels included anemia, dysgeusia, decreased platelet count, and increased alanine aminotransferase.

"The depth of response seen across spleen, symptoms, and VAF from these early phase results is in excess of what has been seen historically in this disease setting," said Jacob Van Naarden, executive vice president and president of Lilly Oncology. "These data provide clear proof of concept for what this selective type II JAK2 inhibitor could mean for patients with myelofibrosis and shed light on the conviction we brought to the acquisition of Ajax. With this program now officially part of Lilly's pipeline, we are committed to rapidly advancing it through clinical development and further exploring its potential to meaningfully improve outcomes for people with myeloproliferative neoplasms across a range of disease settings."

AJ1-11095 is currently being evaluated in an expansion cohort in second-line myelofibrosis, with plans to investigate in patients with high-risk polycythemia vera and those with myelofibrosis who have not yet received a JAK2 inhibitor. Details on the AJX-101 trial can be found by visiting clinicaltrials.gov.

About AJ1-11095
AJ1-11095 is an investigational, oral, first-in-class type II JAK2 inhibitor. AJ1-11095 is designed to bind JAK2 in its inactive conformation — an approach intended to more completely suppress the aberrant signaling that drives myelofibrosis, in contrast to currently approved JAK2 inhibitors that bind JAK2 in its active state. AJ1-11095 demonstrated superior activity compared to ruxolitinib in preclinical models of myelofibrosis. AJ1-11095 is currently being studied in AJX-101, a global, open-label, multicenter, Phase 1 study in patients with primary myelofibrosis, post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis, or post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis who have previously been treated with a type I JAK2 inhibitor, NCT06343805.

About Lilly
Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for 150 years, and today our medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/news, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. P-LLY

© Lilly USA, LLC 2026. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Trademarks and Trade Names
All trademarks or trade names referred to in this press release are the property of the company, or, to the extent trademarks or trade names belonging to other companies are referenced in this press release, the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this press release are referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that the company or, to the extent applicable, their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, the company's or their rights thereto. We do not intend the use or display of other companies' trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about AJ1-11095 as a potential treatment for adults with myelofibrosis and other myeloproliferative neoplasms, and the timeline for future studies, regulatory submissions, presentations, and other milestones relating to AJ1-11095 and the AJX-101 clinical program, and reflects Lilly's current beliefs and expectations. However, as with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of drug research, development, and commercialization. Among other things, there is no guarantee that planned or ongoing studies will be completed as planned or that future study results will be consistent with study results to date. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from Lilly's expectations, see Lilly's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release.

_________________________________
1 May 28, 2026 data cutoff
2 Meyer SC et al Cancer Cell 2015: 28:P15-28
3 May 12, 2026 data cutoff

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lilly-to-present-initial-clinical-data-for-first-in-class-type-ii-jak2-inhibitor-in-patients-with-previously-treated-myelofibrosis-at-the-2026-eha-annual-meeting-302799309.html

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company

For over a quarter of a century, Plug Power (PLUG 2.47%) has been building out a hydrogen infrastructure ecosystem, but its efforts have borne little fruit. Since going public, Plug Power has never turned an annual profit.

The company is looking to buck its 25-year trend and lean into its most promising businesses while cutting those that have been dragging it down, and the transformation could make it a worthwhile investment.

However, before you buy the stock, here are three things to know about Plug Power's makeover.

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1. Its Project Quantum Leap aims to improve efficiency Plug Power has spent nearly three decades developing a vertically integrated, end-to-end hydrogen ecosystem. To achieve this, the company has diversified into a range of products and services, including hydrogen-powered forklifts, electrolyzers for hydrogen generation, hydrogen liquefiers, trailers, and tankers.

The move gives Plug Power a wide range of offerings, but it has been extremely expensive. Last year, the company's net loss was $1.6 billion, and since its inception, Plug Power has an accumulated deficit of about $8.2 billion. In an effort to turn things around, management is embarking on Project Quantum Leap, which aims to make operations leaner while leaning into its higher-margin offerings.

PLUG Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts

The company's first-quarter earnings results showed some progress in management's efforts. During the period, its gross margin of negative 13% was a drastic improvement from a year ago, when it was negative 55%. Meanwhile, its adjusted earnings per share (EPS) improved from negative $0.17 last year to negative $0.08 in the most recent quarter. Management believes it can achieve positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) in the fourth quarter of this year.

2. Electrolyzer equipment is showing promising growth As part of Plug Power's transformation, the company is leaning into its most promising offerings, with electrolyzers a strong driver of growth. These devices use energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases, with the hydrogen then captured and stored for later use as fuel.

In the first quarter, Plug's electrolyzer revenue surged 343% year over year to $40.8 million. This comes after the company already had a very strong 2025, where it generated $52.3 million in electrolyzer revenue, driven by strong demand in Europe.

What makes electrolyzers appealing for Plug Power is that they provide operational leverage and offer higher margins. Another driver of growth here is regulatory mandates in Europe, specifically the European Union's RED III directive, which is designed to accelerate the region's adoption of clean energy. Management noted that meeting these mandates could require 4 to 6 gigawatts of electrolyzer capacity by 2030.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

3. It has expanded in-house fuel production and signed a sourcing agreement In addition to equipment sales, Plug Power is reducing its reliance on expensive third-party hydrogen and producing more of this fuel in-house. The company has hydrogen production plants in Tennessee, Georgia, and Louisiana, with a combined production capacity of roughly 40 tons of liquid hydrogen per day.

Scaling these hydrogen plants is another major component of Project Quantum Leap and a big reason the company's margins improved so much in the first quarter. By producing fuel in-house, Plug Power has secured its hydrogen fuel supply chain, a key part of its efforts to build an end-to-end, integrated business model.

In addition to in-house production, Plug Power has signed a deal with a major industrial gas company. Management noted that this deal resulted in a "substantial reduction in the cost per kilogram" of purchased fuel. Because its facilities are in the southeast, this third-party sourcing enables Plug Power to deliver fuel to customers in the western and northeastern United States without incurring expensive transportation costs.

Plug Power is a stock to watch Plug Power is making a serious effort to improve its business outlook by pairing its high-margin electrolyzer equipment pipeline with an optimized, vertically integrated domestic fuel network. Investors buying today are betting that Plug Power can transform from a speculative, cash-burning company to a profitable company operating across the hydrogen ecosystem.

The sales of used electric vehicles took off as oil prices rose earlier in the year. That's an early sign that consumers may be looking for a way to avoid having to deal with rising gasoline costs. And it makes the story behind Rivian (RIVN +7.63%) more compelling. However, execution will still determine Rivian's success. Here's what you need to know before you buy the stock.

Rivian has achieved great things Rivian is attempting to build a sustainably profitable business selling electric vehicles, with a focus on trucks. So far, it has proven it can make award-winning vehicles, produce them at scale, and sell them for more than it costs to build them (it had a gross profit in 2025). As a business, Rivian has made huge strides.

Image source: Getty Images.

However, it still hasn't generated positive earnings. The goal is to ramp up production so it can spread its costs over more vehicles. Management hopes that this will allow it to become sustainably profitable. That is, basically, what allowed Tesla (TSLA +1.65%) to get into, and stay in, the black. High gasoline prices are a positive development because they make electric vehicles more attractive. However, high gas prices alone won't be enough to sustain a rebound in Rivian's stock.

The big story is Rivian's lower-cost R2 model The next big step in Rivian's story is the launch of a mass-market version of its high-end truck. The company is now rolling out the lower-cost truck, known as the R2, to the market. The big question is how well received it will be by consumers.

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High gas prices help, but they probably won't be the main factor in consumer buying decisions. After all, there are plenty of other EVs that a person can buy. Curb appeal will likely be the biggest factor, though cost will clearly play a role, as well. If the R2 is desirable and the price is low enough to attract mass-market buyers, it will be a success. And that, in turn, could lead to a sustained recovery in Rivian's stock price as it inches closer to becoming a sustainably profitable business. If the R2 is too expensive or the vehicle just doesn't resonate with car buyers, Rivian will have a hard time ahead.

Rivian: Execution is the vital factor Rivian's R2 looks a lot like its popular R1 trucks. There's no reason to believe it won't be popular, too. However, this is a make-or-break moment for the company. Rivian's future is very uncertain if the R2 isn't popular enough. The stock is only appropriate for more aggressive growth investors, and you'll want to pay close attention to how well the R2 sells in the quarters ahead, high gas prices or not.

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of EPR, VICI either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. However, when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.

Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

CenterPoint Energy (CNP - Free Report) is headquartered in Houston, and is in the Utilities sector. The stock has seen a price change of 10.98% since the start of the year. The energy delivery company is paying out a dividend of $0.23 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.16% compared to the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield of 2.98% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.44%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.92 is up 4.5% from last year. Over the last 5 years, CenterPoint Energy has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 8.33%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. CenterPoint's current payout ratio is 51%, meaning it paid out 51% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, CNP expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $1.91 per share, with earnings expected to increase 8.52% from the year ago period.

From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide a quarterly payout.

High-growth firms or tech start-ups, for example, rarely provide their shareholders a dividend, while larger, more established companies that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, CNP is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

BDC concept is shown by businessman.

getty

Stocks are sky-high, but us contrarians are looking for dividend deals. And we found them in one forgotten corner of the Wall Street world. Here, we’re going to bank yields between 11% and 13% from BDCs.

That’s right—up to 13%, for as little as 68 cents on the dollar.

What does that mean? Well, these funds are trading at discounts as large as 32% off their book values.

Where are we looking? We’re talking about business development companies, or BDCs. These are publicly traded firms that lend to mostly privately held companies—small and medium-sized businesses.

The BDC business itself can be a bit of a cardiac kid. It’s all about getting paid back on these loans. The smart lenders can do very well over time. The sector is so potentially lucrative that it attracts some less-than-ideal managers—hence a bit of a shady reputation.

But in these shadows is where we can find value.

2026 has been rough sledding for BDCs. There have been fears about the creditworthiness of the loans they’ve extended. It’s come to fruition—about one in four companies in the non-penny-stock BDC world have cut their dividends over the past few months.

MORE FOR YOU

Ugly, ugly, ugly.

So why are we diving in this dumpster for dividends? Well, we’ve got three reasons to be intrigued.

BDCs tend to own floating-rate debt, which means their income rises as short-term rates move up. And inversely, it drops as rates drop. High oil prices have put Federal Reserve rate cuts on hold indefinitely, and this has helped stabilize BDC income. Even after the dividend cuts we’ve seen, BDCs still remain one of the top sources of income for dividend investors. I mean, come on—where can we find yields like these?Hey—these stocks are rarely this cheap. Industry valuations haven’t been this low since COVID. As contrarian investors, we are stepping in to sort through the wreckage.So let’s talk about these dividend payers, dishing between 11.8% and 13% yields. We are looking for values here, not falling dividend knives, so these details matter.

Cheap BDCs #1: Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp (NCDL)Investing in business development companies often means hitching our wagons to the market’s most prominent asset managers. Take, for instance, Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp. (NCDL), which bears the name of both fund manager Nuveen (the asset manager for TIAA) and BDC manager Churchill, a Nuveen affiliate.

NCDL targets U.S. middle-market companies backed by private equity sponsors. It’s currently invested in 236 companies across 26 industries, with significant bents toward healthcare/pharmaceuticals and business services. It spreads out risk well, too—its top 10 holdings make up just 13% of the portfolio’s weight.

Nuveen’s BDC does most of its financing via first-lien debt, and the lion’s share of that is floating-rate in nature—helpful in that higher interest rates can boost loan income, though they can also drive down loan demand.

Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending has less than three years’ worth of trading under its belt, most of it just pinballing up and down. And because we’re in the midst of one of its sharp downturns, we can buy it for a cavernous 26% discount to its net asset value (NAV).

But what would we be buying?

A big dividend, sure—but one that’s been quietly shrinking since NCDL first hit the market. The 45-cent quarterly with a 10-cent supplemental on top? Gone. The supplemental dried up first. Then this year, the base got cut to 36 cents, with a 4-cent top-up thrown in as a consolation. Then that supplemental shrank to 2 cents in Q2.

NCDL Dividend

Ycharts

What makes the underperformance and dividend difficulties surprising is that NCDL at least appears to be a solid operator. Non-accruals grew in the most recent quarter, but at just 1.3% of the portfolio at cost, so credit quality is excellent. (Non-accruals are loans that are delinquent for a prolonged period, usually 90 days.) It has a favorable fee structure thanks to waivers. Management is conservative and steeped in private-credit experience. Software exposure is low.

Patient investors might eventually be rewarded. Until then, Nuveen’s BDC clearly isn’t treating the dividend with kid gloves.

Cheap BDCs #2: Blackstone Secured Lending Fund (BXSL)Blackstone Secured Lending Fund (BXSL) leans on the rich resources of Blackstone (BX) and its Blackstone Credit & Insurance arm. And that brings up another important aspect of many BDCs: They’re not just lenders and stakeholders. BXSL’s 316 portfolio companies also enjoy the expertise and operational support of one of the world’s largest alternative credit platforms—and Blackstone Credit & Insurance doesn’t claw fees away from the BDC for the privilege.

Blackstone’s BDC deals almost entirely in floating-rate first-lien debt. It likes larger companies in sectors with historically lower default rates. It’s plenty diversified, too, with its top holdings making up less than 20% of assets.

However, while the portfolio is spread across nearly 40 industries, that top industry is a red flag.

BXSL took a big step back in Q1. Non-accruals jumped to 4.7% at cost, while its net asset value declined by more than 2% quarter-over-quarter.

Every other BDC seems to be hacking its dividend. Blackstone Secured Lending Fund’s has held at 77 cents. But it might just be late to the wake: Net investment income (NII) covered the payout this quarter, yet full-year 2026 and 2027 estimates are sliding toward levels that can’t sustain it.

Shares have lost 20% of their value since July 2025, which has plumped up its static dividend to a yield of nearly 13%. But deterioration in net asset value has kept BXSL from falling into deep value territory—it currently trades at a decent 9% discount to NAV.

Cheap BDCs #3: Carlyle Secured Lending (CGBD)Carlyle Secured Lending (CGBD) is yet another double-digit-paying BDC tethered to a well-known asset manager: Carlyle Group (CG). It invests in middle-market companies sponsored by PE. And its preferred deal type is floating-rate first-lien debt.

But CGBD stands out for a much tighter portfolio of just 60 companies. And its financing is more spread out—first-lien debt makes up less than 85% of fair value; it also has mid-single-digit exposure to second-lien debt, equity investments and investment funds.

Around this time last year, I wrote that CGBD’s first half of 2025 was a “train wreck.” It had just put together back-to-back earnings disappointments, experienced rising non-accruals, and failed to issue a supplemental dividend for the first time in years.

Since then? Some ups, and some downs.

The distribution was pared down even more. After a couple quarters of keeping the dividend level, CGBD in April announced a 12.5% cut to 35 cents per share.

But the company has been putting together more promising results. While CGBD’s NAV declined by more than 2% during the first quarter, NII beat estimates, and non-accruals declined to just 1% of cost after portfolio company Alpine restructured its balance sheet. Carlyle Secured Lending also has a pair of joint ventures—Middle Market Credit Fund (MMCF) and Structured Credit Partners (SCP)—that are continuing to ramp.

When I looked at Carlyle Secured Lending in mid-2025, it had been greatly underperforming other BDCs for months. It has continued to decline since then, but its red ink has been more in line with the industry. Still, that has dragged CGBD’s price down to a 32% discount to NAV, putting this Carlyle vehicle in the cheapest third of traded BDCs.

Cheap BDCs #4: Barings BDC (BBDC)Barings BDC (BBDC) hasn’t always been tied up with manager Barings LLC. It was known as “Triangle Capital” for many years until August 2018, when the company rebranded, trying to put years of write-offs and dividend cuts in the rear-view mirror.

It wasn’t just a brand refresh, either. The new name reflected its new relationship with global financial services firm Barings, which became an external advisor and went to work cutting out the portfolio’s rot.

Today, Barings invests primarily in middle market companies owned by PE, though about 5%-15% of its investments are “non-sponsored” upper-middle-market and opportunistic middle-market deals, and another 5%-10% is exposure to Eclipse Business Capital and Rocade Capital—originators of middle market first-lien loans. BBDC has the lowest exposure to first-lien debt of the group, at just 70%. Roughly 20% of its deal mix is in equity, and the rest is scattered among second-lien and mezzanine debt, as well as other financing options.

Last year, I was encouraged by a string of small quarterly supplementals—the company hadn’t made “top-up” specials in a decade. They didn’t last, but the regular dividend has remained intact, powering a 12%-plus yield.

But that yield might have a clock on it. Earnings are pacing below the dividend, and the math only works as long as spillover earnings can bridge the gap.

One helpful development just popped up about a week ago. Barings BDC terminated a credit support agreement, which will result in a $67 million payout by the end of the month—money the company can use to fund additional investments.

And while BBDC has been a source of relative strength in 2026, down just a few percent versus double-digit declines for the BDC industry, it’s still dirt-cheap. This mega-payer currently trades at a 23% discount to NAV.

Brett Owens is Chief Investment Strategist for Contrarian Outlook. For more great income ideas, get your free copy his latest special report: Your Early Retirement Portfolio: Huge Dividends—Every Month—Forever.

Did you buy VRRM common stock between February 24, 2026 and May 26, 2026?

Affected VRRM Investor Summary

Who: Verra Mobilty Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM) What: Securities fraud class action lawsuit filed Class Period: February 24, 2026 through May 26, 2026 Deadline to Seek Lead Plaintiff Status: August 4, 2026 Key Lawsuit Allegations: Material misstatements and/or omissions concerning the company's continued growth in its Commercial Services business and contract with Avis Budget Group. Investor Action: Contact Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) for recovery options , /PRNewswire/ -- Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com), a nationally recognized securities litigation law firm, informs investors that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has been filed against Verra Mobility Corporation (Verra) (NASDAQ: VRRM) on behalf of those who purchased or acquired Verra common stock between February 24, 2026 and May 26, 2026, inclusive. The lawsuit is filed in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona and is captioned Otucu v. Verra Mobility Corporation, Case No.2:26-cv-03973 (D. Ariz.). Investors have until August 4, 2026, to file for lead plaintiff status.

CONTACT KTMC TO DISCUSS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS:
If you purchased or acquired Verra common stock and have lost money on your investment, you are encouraged to contact KTMC attorney Jonathan Naji, Esq. at:

Phone: (484) 270-1453
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.ktmc.com/vrrm-verra-mobility-corporation-class-action-lawsuit?utm_source=PR_Newswire&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=vrrm&mktm=PR

There is no cost or obligation to speak with an attorney.

VERRA MOBILITY CORPORATION CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT - COMPLAINT ALLEGATION SUMMARY:
The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Verra's optimistic plan for continued growth in its Commercial Services business was dependent on its relationship with Avis, and in particular obtaining a contract extension with Avis Budget Group; (2) Verra minimized concerns that major rent-a-car customers could replace Verra with in-house solutions or outsourced alternatives, making Verra's 2026 full year guidance increasingly unlikely to be met; and (3) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

Why did Verra's Stock Drop?
On May 26, 2026, Verra disclosed that the company had received a termination notice from Avis Budget Group regarding its contract, which becomes effective in September 2026. Verra further disclosed that it "expects the termination to reduce Commercial Services' 2026 annualized revenue by approximately $135 million to $145 million and 2026 annualized segment profit by approximately $120 million to $125 million, before taking into account expected cost reduction initiatives." Verra accordingly lowered its full year 2026 financial outlook. On this news, Verra's stock price fell $9.23 per share, or 70.6%, to close at $3.85 per share on May 27, 2026.

On June 1, 2026, Verra announced that its President and Chief Executive Officer had been terminated as "the Board determined that a change in leadership [was] needed[.]"

WHAT VRRM INVESTORS CAN DO NOW:

File to be lead plaintiff by August 4, 2026. Contact KTMC for a free case evaluation. All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Retain counsel of choice or take no action. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS FOR VERRA MOBILITY CORPORATION INVESTORS:
Verra investors may, no later than August 4, 2026, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Verra investors to contact the firm for more information.

ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP (KTMC):
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (KTMC) is a leading U.S. plaintiff-side law firm focused on securities-fraud class actions and global investor protection. The firm represents individual investors as well as institutions, such as major pension funds, asset managers, and international investors. KTMC has led some of the largest recoveries in securities litigation and has been recognized by peers and the legal media with numerous accolades, including The National Law Journal's Plaintiff's Hot List and Trailblazers in Plaintiffs' Law, BTI Consulting Group's Honor Roll of Most Feared Law Firms, The Legal Intelligencer's Class Action Firm of the Year, Lawdragon's Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers, and Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar. The firm operates globally with offices in Pennsylvania and California. KTMC has recovered over $25 billion for our clients and the classes they represent. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP, please visit www.ktmc.com. The complaint in this matter was not filed by KTMC.

CONTACT:
Jonathan Naji, Esq.
(484) 270-1453
280 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
[email protected]

May be considered attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP

Few stocks are as misunderstood as Nu Holdings (NU +0.62%). The digital bank, which focuses on Latin America, is poised to generate substantial profits in the years to come, but it keeps being downgraded by Wall Street due to misinterpretations of its lending business.

Shares are now down 37% from their highs, while revenue grew 42% year over year last quarter. Here's why I'm buying more shares of Nu Holdings after this recent dip.

Increasing loyalty in Brazil As of last quarter, the company had 135 million customers, most of them in Brazil. Over half of adults in the country have an account with the digital bank, which aims to bring modern banking tools to those whom legacy banks previously disregarded, keeping them out of the financial system.

At the same time, Nu's revenue from existing customers in Brazil is lower than that of the average bank. Management intends to change this by increasing product penetration through services like instant payments, lending, investing, and credit cards.

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For example, management just launched a premium credit card for wealthier customers called Nubank Ultravioleta, using a model similar to American Express' by adding services around credit card spending. This and other initiatives are why average monthly revenue per customer just hit a record of $15.90, growing 23% year over year.

Investors are pessimistic about the digital bank's increase in nonperforming loans (NPLs) that are 15 to 90 days past due, which rose to 5% last quarter. However, this is a seasonality issue in Brazil and was only up from 4.8% in the same period a year ago. While you don't want to minimize this figure, it is the price of doing business with lower-income earners, which is factored into the interest rate charged on loans.

Net income was up 41% year over year last quarter to $871 million.

Image source: Nu Holdings.

Hitting its stride in Mexico The company's expansion into Mexico is driving strong growth. It recently hit 15 million active customers in the country and is closing in on $1 billion in annual revenue, having launched its business in 2021. Mexico is much further behind Brazil in digital payments and credit card adoption, giving Nu Holdings the same runway it had in Brazil a decade ago.

Market share in Mexico is still minuscule, but it is seeing huge customer adoption and steady growth in monthly revenue per customer. As these work in tandem, revenue in Mexico should continue to grow rapidly. Plus, its business just turned profitable in the country, which will turn it from a drag on net income over the last few years to a benefit over the next few.

NU Net Income (TTM) data by YCharts; TTM = trailing 12 months.

Returning capital to shareholders Over the past 12 months, Nu Holdings' net income was $3.2 billion. I expect further growth from the steady increase in revenue per customer in Brazil and the growth inflection underway in Mexico. The cherry on top is the company's rapid growth in Colombia and its planned expansion into the U.S. once it obtains a banking license here.

This should help net income climb to $5 billion and even above $10 billion in the years ahead, especially once you factor in the operating leverage inherent in a scaled-up national bank with no overhead costs from physical branches.

After its drawdown, Nu stock now trades at a market cap of $57 billion. To take advantage of this lower price, management is repurchasing stock in a new $1 billion program, which will help to reduce shares outstanding and grow earnings per share . A market cap of $57 billion is cheap for a business poised to eventually generate $10 billion or more in annual net income; you just need a time horizon longer than a year. That's why I am buying more shares of Nu Holdings stock.

Few stocks embody the promise and frustration of the nuclear energy renaissance quite like NuScale Power (SMR +3.29%).

Back in 2020, NuScale became the first U.S. company to get a small modular reactor (SMR) design approved by the NRC. Since then, the company hasn't deployed a commercial SMR model in a real-world setting. And while electricity demands from artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers are expected to surge, NuScale has yet to emerge as tech's most obvious beneficiary.

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Over the next three years, a few possibilities could emerge for this first-mover in the SMR space. In the most bearish scenario, NuScale's projects continue to move slowly but steadily. It may begin conversations with utilities or industrial companies about another project, but most of its concentration will be on developing the two it currently has underway: the SMR plant in Romania and the deployment of 6 gigawatts (GW) of SMRs to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

Image source: Getty Images.

Cranking the bull dial to a more aggressive level, a three-year timeline could see NuScale's commercial partner, ENTRA1 Energy, secure customers in the data center space. In this scenario, the TVA project would be moving closer to completion, with meaningful revenue coming into view. Success there could also validate NuScale's technology, which in turn would open the door to additional deployments across the U.S.

Regardless of the exact outcome, NuScale's first SMR is unlikely to come online for another few years. This means investors interested in NuScale will need to keep a watchful eye on its two developing projects, as their success could determine whether the company evolves into the major nuclear energy stock it's expected to become.

Steven Porrello has positions in NuScale Power. The Motley Fool recommends NuScale Power. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

CAVA Group is a buy based on strong technical indicators despite poor valuation and profitability grades. Recent insider buying by C-suite executives and institutional accumulation reinforces the bullish outlook for CAVA. CAVA exhibits bullish price action, long-term momentum, and relative strength versus the S&P 500 since November 2025.

The S&P 500 held up just fine this past week, but a rush of offerings could signal trouble ahead.

The debut is done. After 24 years as a private company, SpaceX (SPCX +19.17%) is now a public stock, and a volatile one. Shares priced at $135, opened at $150, traded as high as about $177, and closed at about $161 as of this writing -- a gain of about 19% on the day, with the stock continuing to climb in after-hours trading.

That move values the rocket and satellite company at roughly $2.1 trillion, up from the $1.77 trillion the IPO price implied. It makes SpaceX one of the most valuable companies in the U.S. on day one, ahead of names like Meta Platforms and founder Elon Musk's own Tesla.

So the interesting question is no longer whether the IPO would succeed. It clearly did. The question for anyone watching the ticker now is whether buying after a 19% pop is a disciplined move or a foolish chase.

Here's a closer look at both sides.

Image source: Getty Images.

The bull case Start with Starlink, the satellite internet business that does most of the heavy lifting. SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO) disclosures show the connectivity segment, primarily driven by Starlink, generated about $11.4 billion in revenue in 2025, about 61% of the company's total, and it is the only segment producing consistent profits -- roughly $4.4 billion in operating income, or an operating margin of about 39%.

And the subscriber growth has been steep. Starlink ended 2023 with about 2.3 million subscribers, a figure that climbed to about 8.9 million by the end of 2025 and surpassed 10 million by the first quarter of 2026. The company also has pricing levers it has barely started to pull. After letting average revenue per subscriber fall about 18% to roughly $81 a month between 2023 and 2025 to win volume, SpaceX raised some Starlink prices by up to $10 a month in May.

Then there's the launch business, where SpaceX is dominant in a way few companies are dominant in anything. The company said its rockets accounted for more than four-fifths of all mass launched into orbit in 2025. That is the kind of position that is extraordinarily hard for a competitor to replicate, and it underpins the scarcity argument that helped drive demand for the shares.

There is also the simple fact that there is no other public stock quite like this one. Investors who want exposure to commercial space, satellite broadband, and Musk's broader ambitions now have a single way to get it. That uniqueness arguably commands a premium on its own.

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The risks a day-one buyer takes on But a great business and a great stock are not the same thing, and the gap between the two has rarely looked wider than it does here.

Start with valuation. At about $2.1 trillion, SpaceX trades at well over 100 times its 2025 revenue. For perspective, that is a multiple usually reserved for far smaller companies in the earliest innings of growth, not one of the largest companies in the country. And SpaceX isn't profitable on a consolidated basis. After folding in Musk's AI venture xAI, which it acquired in February 2026, the company posted a net loss of about $4.9 billion in 2025 and a loss of about $4.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone. The AI segment is consuming Starlink's profits and then some.

And a price like this leaves essentially no room for error. It assumes Starlink keeps compounding, the launch business stays unrivaled, and the unprofitable AI unit eventually turns into something that justifies the spending.

There is also the matter of supply. SpaceX structured its lockup unusually, letting some shareholders begin selling portions of their holdings within weeks of the IPO rather than waiting the typical 180 days. Early shareholders can sell 20% of their shares around the company's first quarterly report covering the second quarter, with additional tranches unlocking later in the year. That means a meaningful wave of shareholder selling could arrive well before year-end, which could pressure the stock.

And then there's the volatility a newly public megacap brings. Shares swung from up 11% to up more than 30% and back within a single session. The business is also closely tied to one founder who runs several other companies.

So, post IPO, is SpaceX stock a buy?

I don't think this is the moment to chase it. The business is remarkable, and Starlink alone may justify a massive valuation someday. But the current price already assumes a lot goes right, and the unusual lockup structure, combined with the stock's borderline egregious valuation, could create better entry points down the road.

I'd rather be patient here than chase post-IPO gains.

by Todd Bishop on Jun 13, 2026 at 8:23 amJune 13, 2026 at 8:47 am

Scenes from GeekWire’s visit to Cleveland, where John Cook and Charles Fitzgerald spent several days reporting on the city’s comeback, including a stop at the abandoned Westinghouse light bulb factory where they recorded this week’s podcast. (Charles Fitzgerald and John Cook Photos) John Cook and Charles Fitzgerald spent several days in Cleveland this week, and they came back with a cautionary tale for Seattle: don’t assume the good times will last. But they also found inspiration: a city that’s coming back by getting its business, civic, and public leaders to row in the same direction.

The GeekWire co-founder and the Seattle angel investor called into the GeekWire Podcast from an unlikely setting: an abandoned Westinghouse light bulb factory on Cleveland’s near east side, part of an industrial district called The Midline that’s being redeveloped for a new generation of jobs.

The Cleveland trip closes a loop that opened in February, when Fitzgerald, a GeekWire contributing columnist, wrote a provocative piece warning that Seattle risked becoming the next Cleveland.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb joined the podcast to push back and make the case for his city, then invited the two to come see its comeback for themselves. This week, John and Charles took him up on it.

Over several days, they met with Bibb, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, and a roster of developers, entrepreneurs, and civic and business leaders. What stood out, they say, was a city hustling and aligned around jobs and growth in a way Seattle no longer is. Their takeaway is blunt: Cleveland could eat Seattle’s lunch if Seattle keeps taking its prosperity for granted.

For the full rundown of advice from those Cleveland leaders, see John’s previous story.

Then we turn to the week’s news back home. The Seattle City Council voted unanimously for a one-year moratorium on new large data centers. Fitzgerald argues it’s political theater, since the big AI data centers were never coming to high-cost Seattle anyway, and says the real concern is the signal it sends about whether the city is open for business.

And with the SpaceX IPO landing on Friday, Fitzgerald explains why he’s sitting it out.

Subscribe to GeekWire in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Leaders at the space and AI company share ties to a Cornell University team where they honed their engineering skills.

A year after Meta's $14.3 billion bet on Alexandr Wang, the company finally has its first proprietary AI model, but remains behind OpenAI, Anthropic and Google. High-profile hires from rival labs made headlines, but so did layoffs, key departures, and a year of widespread internal conflict and low morale.

Meta President Dina Powell McCormick and CEO of mikeroweWORKS Foundation Mike Rowe join ‘Mornings with Maria' to discuss a new $115 million workforce initiative offering free training and guaranteed skilled-trade jobs.

23.84K Followers

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Summer is here, and Disneyland is continuing its year-long 70th anniversary, a celebration of the original Disney theme park opening its gates in 1955. Three new rides are also being built at the California Disney Parks, as well as a sprawling new Avatar area.

Over at Walt Disney World in Florida, four new lands are being constructed right now, themed around villains, Pixar characters and more, and CNET got a behind-the-scenes look at some of the new areas.

Here's everything you need to know about Disneyland and Disney World -- starting with offerings coming this summer and then exploring what's arriving beyond 2026.

Watch this: Imagineers Share Secrets of Disney's New Ride Technology

09:28

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring The Muppets is now openWhile MuppetVision 3D closed last year to make way for an entire land themed around the Monsters Pixar movies at Hollywood Studios, the Muppets are being moved to the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. That overlay didn't take long to complete -- Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith had its last day of operation on March 1, and the Muppets-themed version opens on Tuesday, May 26.

"The legendary ride roars back to life with a rock-charged remix that drops guests straight into the middle of The Electric Mayhem's biggest night yet. With high-speed thrills, a pulse-pounding soundtrack, and a VIP list like no other, this reimagined attraction hits all the right notes," the Disney Parks Blog posted on April 16.

CNET's Bridget Carey went behind the scenes to explore the technology used to update the Rock n Roller Coaster and bring the Muppets characters to life.

Concept art of the Monsters, Inc. suspender coaster.

Disney/PixarReplacing the old Muppets area of Hollywood Studios, meanwhile, Monstropolis -- home of the Monsters, Inc. movies, shorts and Disney Plus streaming series -- will feature Disney's first suspended roller coaster inside the city's laugh/scream factory.

"The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was ride on one of those doors like Mike and Sulley," Disney Experiences Chair Josh D'Amaro said at D23 in 2024. "Remember in the movie how those claws grab the doors and hoist them up into the air to take them away? We're doing that too. And you're going along for the ride." This TikTok shows the design concept for the Monsters Inc. ride.

MuppetVision 3D closed permanently a year ago, on June 8, 2025, but we don't expect Monstropolis to be complete for another year or two. Bridget also visited the Monsters area under construction, and you can watch her whole video on the new land below.

Watch this: I Went Inside Disney's Monsters Land Under Construction. Here's What I Learned

01:25

Disneyland's 70th anniversaryDisneyland continues its celebration of its 70th anniversary, following its kick-off in May 2025, for much of the summer. Its last day is Aug. 9, 2026 -- after which the parks will transition to Halloween decor on Aug. 21, then the holidays on Nov. 18, before fully returning to its natural state in early 2027.

There are many 70th anniversary shows to see, including the Paint the Night parade, Celebrate Happy Cavalcade and the Wondrous Journeys fireworks and projection show on the castle. Mickey and friends are also wearing 70th celebration outfits.

You can catch 70th anniversary-themed merchandise, food and drink items as well as a projection show at Carthay Circle and a 50-foot sculpture of Sleeping Beauty Castle on the esplanade between Disneyland and California Adventure; you can also find decorations sprinkled throughout Downtown Disney, Main Street USA, Disney's hotels and even inside rides.

Disneyland's Paint the Night parade.

Disney ParksSoarin' Across America, coast to coast Disney ParksAt Disney's California Adventure and Disney World's Epcot, the Soarin' Around the World attraction is getting a US-themed makeover. Soarin' Across America will arrive on July 2, 2026, and will feature scenes, sounds and scents from more than a dozen cityscapes and scenic areas.

Disney released a trailer starring Patrick Warburton, the original Soarin' narrator and pilot, in which he says we'll soon "sail across spacious skies" and may see "amber waves of grain" and "purple mountain majesties." It's part of Disney's celebration of America's 250th anniversary.

Juneteenth at Disneyland Disney ParksOn June 19, Downtown Disney will host Disney on the Yard Presents Yardfest: Part of Celebrate Soulfully, which celebrates HBCUs, including performances by drum majors.

This event on Juneteenth kicks off the Celebrate Soulfully: Summer Vibes celebration, which goes from June 19 until July 19 to celebrate Black music, food, art and culture. Concerts will be held on certain days at Paradise Gardens in California Adventure, as well as "special character encounters and live variety acts" on Fridays and Saturdays, per Disney.

Bluey has arrived at Disneyland Disney ParksBluey and her family are now hosting a stage show and themed area at the original Disney park. Debuting in March, Bluey's Best Day Ever is located at the Fantasyland Theatre next to Mickey's Toontown, which has been transformed into Bluey's school classroom and grounds, including a gnome village and fairy garden. 

Bluey and her sister, Bingo, appear several times each day, along with actors and musicians, to "bring to life the popular music and games emblematic of beloved Bluey episodes." Those games will include "keepy uppy" and the "grannies," as well as appearances by Chattermax and Unicorse.

There are also puzzles, games and photo ops throughout the Bluey area, and Disneyland is serving up Bluey-themed foods at Troubadour Tavern.

The hugely popular Australian cartoon about a family of dogs is a worldwide hit, and Disney is slated to release a Bluey movie in 2027. (In the meantime, you can watch Bluey episodes and minisodes on Disney Plus.)

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: Old characters, new Mandalorian missions Disney ParksNew characters have begun roaming around the Star Wars-themed lands in Disneyland, as the area "expands its timeline" to include Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Han Solo. The original trio of Star Wars main characters arrived in Batuu on April 29 and are now interacting with guests and other characters.

To help tie them in with the more modern Star Wars land, there are also new props, merch, graphics and music (featuring the legendary John Williams score) in Galaxy's Edge.

"Black Spire Outpost will roll back in time several decades, thoughtfully introducing beloved characters from across the Star Wars timeline," the Disney Parks Blog announced in April. "Each era will be brought to life with the same care and attention to detail that the land was originally designed with, masterfully weaving together stories from across time and space in one location."

Darth Vader has also joined the fun, and you can still see Ahsoka Tano, The Mandalorian, Grogu, Rey, Chewbacca and R2-D2. 

Over in Tomorrowland, Space Mountain has transformed into Hyperspace Mountain for a limited time.

Disneyland (and Hollywood Studios at Disney World) has also now added Mandalorian and Grogu missions to the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run ride in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, tying in with the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu in cinemas. The new missions launched on May 22.

Discounted summer Disney ticketsDisneyland now has a Kids' Summer Ticket deal, with a one-day Park Hopper ticket costing $50 per child, ages 3 through 9. It can be used until Sept. 7.

Disneyland is also adding (and removing) a Magic Key option: The Explore Key will replace the Enchant Key. All California residents will be able to purchase it -- not only Southern California residents. It will allow access on weekdays in June and July, which were blocked out for Enchant Key holders. The Explore Key costs $999, with a $99 down payment and 0% APR on repayments for 12 months. Disney said its "full value" can be unlocked in just four visits to the parks, thanks to Park Hopper admission, 25% off parking, Lightning Lane Multi-Passes and 10% off merchandise and dining.

Disneyland's World of Color 70th anniversary show.

Disney ParksFor what Disney World is calling Cool Kids' Summer, it's offering two free nights and two free theme park days when you buy a four-night, four-day Disney hotel and ticket package for a visit from May 26 through Sept. 15. You can also save up to 30% on some Disney hotels between May 1 and Oct. 4.

Also part of Cool Kids' Summer is a free day at a Disney World water park (Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach) on your check-in day when staying at a Disney hotel between May 26 and Sept. 8; and a free dining plan for kids aged 3-9 when you buy a dining package for guests over 10 and a room at a Disney hotel.

And if you have an iPhone, Apple has just announced that when the new iOS 27 drops later this year, you'll be able to use your Apple Wallet for Disney World tickets, reservations and events.

California Adventure celebrates 25 yearsThe second Disney theme park built in Anaheim opened 25 years ago on Feb. 8, 2001. While the look of the park has changed a lot over those years, California Adventure has a few ways it's celebrating the quarter-century milestone: It's switching the Soarin' attraction back to Soarin' Over California until July 1; dressing Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on Buena Vista Street with new outfits, featuring sun motifs like the one originally on the roller coaster; and offering anniversary-themed food items, merchandise and drinks.

Disneyland expansion: Avatar area begins construction Concept art showing an aerial shot of the Avatar-themed area coming to Disneyland Resort.

DisneyDisneyland is finally expanding after unveiling plans almost five years ago. The expansion is expected to take a couple of years to complete and will push the park's current boundaries past Downtown Disney and into the nearby parking lots. It'll also transform "a portion of the current Hollywood Backlot area," leading to the closure of the Monsters Inc. attraction permanently in 2027.

The biggest part of the expansion will be adding an Avatar-themed land, based on the second film, The Way of Water, as well as Avatar: Fire and Ash. It will include a dark boat ride much like Pirates of the Caribbean, "taking guests all the way to the wide-open seas of Pandora."

It follows the success of the world of Pandora, based on the original Avatar film, in Disney World's Animal Kingdom. Disney has no dates or details yet on when it'll be complete.

Coming sooner than the Avatar land, however, is a new esplanade entry "experience" to replace the current walkway entry at the east side of Disneyland, as well as a new parking structure and pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard. Construction on this begins in the fall.

Concept art of the new pedestrian bridge that will cross Harbor Boulevard.

DisneyA Coco ride is coming to California AdventureIt won't be launching this year, but construction has begun backstage at California Adventure to build a new dark ride. It'll be themed for the beloved Pixar movie Coco and populated by audio-animatronics.

The Coco ride will be located in the area near Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens, in what is primarily backstage areas for cast members currently. It'll have characters and music from the movies as you travel through the land of the dead with Miguel.

Concept art for the new Coco ride.

Disney/PixarTwo more Avengers Campus rides Avengers Campus already has two rides: Spider-Man Web Slingers and Guardians of the Galaxy. Soon, this will double as Disney builds two more Marvel attractions at California Adventure. 

"We're doubling the size of the land with two new attractions," a structural engineer said in a video posted to Walt Disney Imagineering's Instagram account on Feb. 26. The engineer showed off how the Avengers Infinity Defense structure is looking now, including its columns, foundations and a catwalk that will "support projectors, speakers and other types of show elements."

Avengers Infinity Defense will see you assemble alongside the Avengers, battling King Thanos -- set in a multiverse -- featuring appearances by Black Panther, Ant-Man and Hulk.

Concept art of the Avengers Infinity Defense attraction coming to California Adventure.

DisneyStark Flight Lab, the second ride, will see you help test Tony Stark's latest tech.

"In Stark Flight Lab, guests will sit in 'gyro-kinetic pods' and roll along a track before stopping in front of a giant robot arm," Disney said. "This robot arm will hoist you into the air where you'll make several high-speed maneuvers inspired by Iron Man and some other Avengers."

Construction began in 2025, but no launch dates have been revealed yet.

Villains Land at Disney WorldWhile it won't be ready in time for 2026, construction is well underway for Disney's first villains-themed area. Villains Land, which will celebrate all the classic baddies from Disney films, is coming to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida.

Imagineers have been drawing inspiration from architectural structures in Paris and Barcelona -- like Gaudí's buildings in the latter -- to design Villains Land, Disney revealed during Destination D23 in August 2025.

Concept art for the new Villains Land.

Disney"Paris is a city full of classic Art Nouveau ... natural motifs and swirling designs there make nature appear to be 'cursed,' like magic has frozen it into place," Disney said on its Parks Blog. "Barcelona's art style is Modernisme, which has less natural patterns but gives the architecture an otherworldly, unnerving appearance."

Villains Land, first teased during D23 2022, will be positioned on the other side of Big Thunder Mountain at the top left edge of the current Magic Kingdom map and will stretch around to where the Haunted Mansion is.

Two major attractions are planned, along with dining and shopping. Still no word yet on when it'll open.

First peek at Piston Peak Piston Peak National Park: the setting for the new Cars-themed land at Magic Kingdom.

Disney ParksThe Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at Disney World's Magic Kingdom have been closed and removed from the online map, as Disney works to construct a new land themed after Pixar's Cars movies. Cars Land, which was added to Disney's California Adventure back in 2012, remains extremely popular in the west, so it was only a matter of time before it was added to the eastern outpost.

In an expansion of Frontierland -- which also includes Tiana's Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad -- Route 66 will feature a look inspired by the Rocky Mountains and the "American Frontier and its national parks."

The Disney Parks Blog described the new area as "an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers." Disney Imagineers are "using a style of architecture called 'Parkitecture,' which was developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment."

Concept art of the Cars rally race attraction coming to Disney World.

DisneyThere will be two attractions, one of which is a rally race. Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter and Imagineer Michael Hundgen spoke about the new ride vehicle for this, and you can see a TikTok of Imagineers testing out off-road vehicles in the Arizona desert to create what the ride will feel like. Each rally car will have its own personality, name and racing number, Docter said.

"These are all things Lightning McQueen and Mater haven't experienced before, like racing over rocky terrain, ascending to mountain peaks and dodging around geysers -- how do you take these real-world elements and put a Cars spin on it?" Disney Parks said in a previous blog post. 

While construction has begun and Disney has even released a map showing what the land may look like (geysers shooting water, a running river, an off-road rally track, mountains, a visitor's lodge, a Ranger HQ and walking trails), we don't expect Piston Peak to open until at least 2027 or 2028.

Tropical Americas Land at Animal Kingdom Concept art of Tropical Americas.

DisneyAnimal Kingdom's DinoLand USA area is no more, with the area on the Disney World map now a blank sea of grass as Disney slowly builds out the new Tropical Americas Land. 

Construction began in the fall of 2024, with TriceraTop Spin and the midway area closing down in January 2025. The Dinosaur ride remained open until Feb. 1 this year, but has since closed its doors as it's transformed into a new Indiana Jones ride through a Maya temple (a relatively easy overlay since Disneyland's Indiana Jones reportedly follows almost exactly the same ride track as Disney World's Dinosaur).

The Pueblo Esperanza area will be themed like a South American village, with an Encanto-themed attraction, where you get to explore Antonio's rainforest room inside the Casita, as well as a huge quick-service dining location, a fountain and a carousel.

Tropical Americas is planned to open in 2027.

Disney Cruise Line: New shipsDisney has been all in on launching cruise ships over the last few years, including the Disney Wish in 2022, the Disney Treasure in 2024 and the Disney Destiny in 2025.

The Disney Adventure sailed on its maiden voyage from Singapore on March 10, the first of four new ships set to embark soon. Disney's next cruise liner, the Disney Believe, was unveiled by new CEO Josh D'Amaro on March 18. 

"The Disney Believe will bring to life the magical worlds of Encanto and Frozen, the wishing wells of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the depths of the sea with Moana and The Little Mermaid," Disney said.

The Disney Believe is expected to set sail in late 2027. The other ship names and destinations have yet to be revealed, but they're expected to sail before 2031.

Watch this: Imagineers Share Secrets of Disney's New Ride Technology

09:28

Everything else new at Disneyland and Disney World in 2026Here's what else is new and coming soon to the theme parks:

A 3D-printed boat was added to the Jungle Cruise ride in January.Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin at the Magic Kingdom has new ride vehicles with video monitors and two handheld blasters featuring always-on lasers in two different colors (so you can finally see which laser is yours). It also got a new opening scene starring Buddy the friendly robot, and static Z targets light up when you hit them. The ride reopened on April 8.Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopened on May 3 at Magic Kingdom after a lengthy refurbishment.Disney World's water park Blizzard Beach reopened on Feb. 15, and Typhoon Lagoon reopened on May 12.Kids' summer shows at Disneyland include Disney Friends Dance Party at Hollywood Land in Disney California Adventure, and Stitch's Interplanetary Beach Party Blast at Tomorrowland Terrace in Disneyland.Bluey and Bingo meet-and-greets are happening at Disney World at the Conservation Station at Animal Kingdom as part of the Cool Kids' Summer celebration, which goes until Sept. 8.Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom is being repainted in its original theme colors: gray, cream, blue and gold.From July, you'll be able to book a wedding at the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland. Weddings will be hosted at the courtyard right outside the mansion's front doors. The area can seat up to 25 guests. However, it doesn't include thematic midnight ceremonies -- you can only host your wedding there in the early morning before park opening. Other new Disneyland wedding venues include the Magnolia Park Gazebo (right outside Tiana's Palace), Magnolia Park Terrace (right outside the new Haunted Mansion queue) and Fantasy Faire Garden (opposite the castle).Following the release of the Walt Disney animatronic at Disneyland, Disney announced that a similar animatronic will be added to Disney World's Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom in a new introductory scene to the ride. Concept art of the overhauled version of Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, which will have two different colored lasers in each ride vehicle.

Disney/Pixar

London BTC Company Ltd (LSE:BTC, OTCQB:VINZF) is expanding its Nevada gold portfolio as part of a strategy designed to complement its core Bitcoin treasury and mining operations. In this interview with Proactive, chief executive Hewie Rattray discusses the rationale behind the company's latest project acquisitions and how management sees gold supporting long-term Bitcoin accumulation. Watch the interview below, followed by the full transcript.

Proactive: Hello, you are watching Proactive. I'm joined by Hewie Rattray, the CEO of London BTC Company. Hewie, very good to speak with you. You've moved remarkably quickly from announcing a US gold hedge strategy to staking two Nevada projects within days. Why was now the right time to add gold to the story, and what gap does it fill alongside your Bitcoin treasury and mining operations?

Hewie Rattray: Currently, with the Bitcoin market as it is and many investors taking a risk-off approach, we wanted to pursue another strategy that made sense alongside Bitcoin. Gold is a natural fit for us in Nevada because most of the board has significant experience in the sector. This is our second project under the gold strategy and there will be more to come. We're investing capital into the strategy and believe investors will understand the relationship between Bitcoin and gold and why it makes sense.

Proactive: Both projects sit near major gold operations and appear to have seen little modern exploration. What was it about Huntington-Whitman and Amonett-Frank that convinced you these were opportunities worth pursuing?

Hewie Rattray: These areas hosted producing mines historically and are located near major producers operating today. They haven't been tested with modern exploration techniques. Gold has rallied strongly over the last year, improving economic viability in these regions. We want to capitalise on that opportunity and determine the best route to monetisation, whether through infrastructure development, royalties or other arrangements. We know there is gold in the ground and now it's about identifying the optimal strategy.

Proactive: The rock-chip grades at Amonett-Frank are eye-catching, but investors know early-stage projects come with risk. What milestones should they focus on over the coming months?

Hewie Rattray: Staking is a low-cost way to secure exposure and should be viewed as a useful indicator rather than proof. Several milestones are coming over the next few months that will help validate the assets. Investors should focus on the results and management commentary to understand how we plan to develop these opportunities.

Proactive: Should investors expect London BTC to remain primarily a Bitcoin miner and treasury company with a gold hedge, or do you see an opportunity to build a platform offering exposure to both digital and physical stores of value?

Hewie Rattray: We're still a Bitcoin-first company, but we're actively building a differentiated listed platform that provides exposure to scarce assets. The ultimate goal of the gold strategy is to monetise those assets and reinvest the proceeds into Bitcoin. We're seeking a different route to building our Bitcoin balance sheet rather than simply raising capital and purchasing Bitcoin directly. There are multiple ways to monetise these assets and rotate capital back into Bitcoin.

Proactive: What should investors be watching for next?

Hewie Rattray: We're going to continue executing the strategy we've demonstrated this week. There are additional projects under review and we'll announce developments when appropriate. We expect to be very active throughout the summer and anticipate this being our busiest period in around a year. It's an exciting time for the company.

Proactive: Hewie, thank you very much for your time today.