Market Signal Briefing

Sun, 8/02/2026 - 15:53

Dogecoin reclaimed the critical $0.095 level that triggered October's "Black Friday" collapse, flipping a major dump zone into potential support for DOGE as short pressure builds near $0.10.

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Dogecoin is back above the same level that triggered October’s panic crash, as per TradingView, the one that erased around $40 billion in derivatives liquidations and earned itself a "Black Friday" label.

This price area had acted as a magnet for selling pressure for DOGE since Q4, 2025. Now, with the price of the meme coin recovering above it, the overall situation switches from breakdown continuation to a possible rally. The next real resistance looms at $0.12 for Dogecoin.

Is "Black Friday" for Dogecoin now a discount opportunity?Dogecoin just clawed back above a level the market remembers, not because it is magical, but because it is like a "scar" — visible on every chart. On the DOGE/USDT chart by TradingView, the price is trading back above the October "Black Friday" dump marker near $0.09504, with the latest prints sitting around $0.098 on Feb. 8. 

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It is important to note that is not a breakout, it is a reclamation, and in a risk-off environment it acts like a reality check for both late sellers and cautious dip buyers.

DOGE/USDT chart by TradingViewThe next part is simple math for Dogecoin. Closing the week above $0.095 only stops the bleeding if DOGE can build acceptance above it. Otherwise, it becomes a post-break retest where sellers reload.

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Overhead, the chart gives a clear ceiling zone in the low $0.10s, where prior bounces stalled. Higher up, the more concentrated supply sits near $0.12-$0.13, the area that repeatedly rejected the price through late January and early February.

The big headline level from the daily is still far above at about $0.152, a prior pivot that defines how much damage the market took before this bounce even started.

As long as DOGE stays above $0.095, the market can treat the October dump retest as a completed event, not an active threat. That is the condition under which the "to the Moon" hype can return for the popular meme coin without the chart immediately punishing it.

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Here are two leaders in growing industries that should reward patience.

Successful investing is not complicated. Focusing on companies that offer services people use every day can help you avoid many mistakes and put you on the path to a happy retirement.

Amazon (AMZN 5.49%) and Booking Holdings (BKNG +0.25%) are two dominant leaders in e-commerce, cloud computing, and travel. Here's why these stocks are strong long-term investments.

Image source: Getty Images.

Amazon Amazon is a relentless innovator that has greatly benefited long-term shareholders. Its dominance in e-commerce and its growing revenue streams in advertising and cloud computing provide multiple ways for the company to increase the value of your investment over time.

Amazon's online retail business has a durable competitive advantage built on its extensive infrastructure and same-day delivery to customers in cities across the U.S. While other large retailers have stepped up their e-commerce game in recent years, Amazon continues to stay a step ahead. In the third quarter, management noted that its Rufus AI-powered shopping assistant had reached 250 million active users and was projected to hit $10 billion in incremental annualized sales for 2025.

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Adding to its e-commerce advantages, the company's large customer base has turned into an advertising magnet. Revenue from ad services now has a $85 billion annual run rate, with ad service revenue up 22% year over year in the fourth quarter. As more brands shift their ad spending to digital platforms, Amazon is clearly positioned to benefit.

However, Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains the company's AI growth engine. Its investments in custom chips and data center capacity are helping organizations reduce the cost of using AI services in the cloud. AWS revenue rose 24% year over year in the fourth quarter and generated roughly half of Amazon's profits.

An investment in Amazon should lead to compounding returns for years to come. The growth in e-commerce, advertising, and cloud services offers strong prospects for the business. Analysts expect its earnings per share to rise at an annualized rate of 17% in the coming years.

Booking Holdings Booking Holdings has quietly built fortunes for investors over the last few decades. It's the owner of Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, Kayak, and OpenTable. The company attracts recurring spending from users through loyalty rewards and its Connected Trips, which link customers to flights, rental cars, and attractions. This is its competitive advantage.

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Strong demand and pricing power, as reflected in rising average daily room rates, continue to drive solid results. Room nights hit 323 million in the third quarter, up 8% year over year. This drove a 13% year-over-year increase in revenue and a 19% year-over-year increase in adjusted earnings per share.

Management believes it can maintain similar growth over the long term. Specifically, it targets 8% annual increases in gross bookings and revenue, translating into a 15% rise in adjusted earnings.

Booking is not resting on its laurels. It is investing to protect its competitive position with its Connected Trip initiative and AI capabilities to offer personalized recommendations. Management is leveraging a significant amount of data within the company -- an overlooked competitive advantage.

With a consistent operating history and prospects of double-digit earnings hikes, Booking Holdings stock is one of the best ways to profit from a growing travel industry.

AMD stock is still more expensive than Nvidia stock, despite its recent correction.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD +8.32%) is one of the world's top semiconductor suppliers. Its chips can be found in popular consumer products like Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation 5, but investors are more focused on the company's data center business right now, where it sells graphics processing units (GPUs) for artificial intelligence (AI) development.

AMD will launch some of its most powerful AI chips ever during 2026, as it attempts to catch up to its fierce rival, Nvidia, in this lucrative market. However, the path to success is proving to be very bumpy. AMD reported its operating results for the fourth quarter of 2025 (ended Dec. 27) on Feb. 3, and its stock tumbled by 15% the following trading day.

Despite strong revenue and earnings growth for the period, Wall Street is now concerned about AMD's reliance on one particular AI customer to fuel its future GPU sales. Let's explore this potential challenge to determine whether or not investors should use the recent dip in AMD stock as a buying opportunity.

Image source: Advanced Micro Devices.

AMD might have an OpenAI problem ChatGPT creator OpenAI is currently the world's largest AI start-up with an estimated valuation of over $500 billion in the private market. But there have been concerns about the defensibility of the company's business model, given the extremely competitive landscape for AI chatbots and coding assistants. In fact, last weekend, The Wall Street Journal reported that chip giant Nvidia is no longer planning to go through with a previously announced $100 billion investment in OpenAI.

This creates some serious issues, because OpenAI has committed to renting $281 billion worth of data center capacity from Microsoft's Azure cloud division, and a further $300 billion from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. The start-up has also committed to buying up to 6 gigawatts worth of GPU compute capacity directly from AMD by 2030.

OpenAI currently has annualized revenue of around $20 billion, so it isn't generating anywhere near enough cash to fulfill all of these obligations. Therefore, its only option is to raise more money from investors, which will be tricky if major supporters like Nvidia are growing nervous.

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This was a major topic of discussion during AMD's conference call with investors on Feb. 3. Wall Street analysts asked AMD CEO Lisa Su several questions about the status of the OpenAI deal, and she calmed some nerves by saying the start-up will receive the first batch of the latest MI450 GPUs in the second half of 2026 as planned.

MI450 GPUs are expected to deliver 36 times more performance than AMD's previous generation of GPUs when configured in the company's new Helios data center rack, which includes specialized hardware and software systems designed to extract maximum processing speeds for AI workloads.

However, there is no telling whether OpenAI will fulfill the rest of its obligations to AMD after the first round of shipments. Six gigawatts of compute capacity would include between 3 million and 6 million GPUs, worth around $90 billion (according to an estimate from Substack newsletter More Than Moore).

AMD's data center business is still growing quickly AMD generated $34.6 billion in total revenue during 2025. The data center segment alone accounted for a record $16.6 billion of that total, growing by 32% compared to the previous year. So, the good news is that there is clear demand for AMD's AI GPUs from several customers other than OpenAI.

In fact, Su just told investors that AMD's data center revenue could grow by a whopping 60% annually over the next three to five years, with AI hardware sales alone bringing in tens of billions of dollars per year from 2027 onward. Of course, the OpenAI deal is baked into Su's forecast, so data center growth might be less impressive if the start-up doesn't meet its obligations.

Should you buy the dip on AMD stock? AMD generated non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings of $4.17 per share during 2025, placing its stock at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 49.9. That means it's slightly more expensive than Nvidia stock, which trades at a P/E ratio of 43.5 based on its trailing-12-month adjusted earnings of $4.05.

Therefore, on the one hand, AMD stock still isn't cheap despite its recent correction. Nvidia is the leader in the AI hardware market, generating more data center revenue and faster growth than AMD, so AMD's premium valuation doesn't make much sense from that perspective. On the other hand, if Su is right and AMD's data center business produces a massive growth acceleration over the next few years, then its stock might be attractive at the current level for long-term investors.

With all of that said, patience might be the name of the game right now given the jitters in the AI space. I think AMD stock is vulnerable to further downside in the short term because of its relatively high valuation, so investors might get a better buying opportunity in the coming months.

Nvidia's valuation is nearly the same as the S&P 500's.

"Undervalued" isn't typically a term that's associated with artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, but that's exactly what the market should think about Nvidia (NVDA +8.01%). It may seem odd to call the world's largest company undervalued, but that's what Nvidia is.

The reality is Nvidia's stock is incredibly cheap for the results it's delivering, and investors should use this opportunity to load up on shares, as they don't come around all that often.

Image source: Getty Images.

Nvidia's stock is barely more expensive than the broader market If I were to present to you a stock that's expected to grow revenue at more than a 50% pace this year, yet is priced about the same level as the broader market (as measured by the S&P 500 (^GSPC +1.97%)), you'd be racing to scoop up as many shares as possible.

That's exactly where Nvidia finds itself.

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For fiscal year 2027 (ending January 2027), Wall Street expects 52% revenue growth. That strong growth is based on massive AI spending, as Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) are the go-to computing unit for running AI workloads. There are several growth catalysts Nvidia could experience throughout 2026, including a solid rollout of its next-gen Rubin architecture and a return of GPU sales to China. All of this could lead Nvidia to vastly outperform expectations.

While the consensus estimate among analysts is 52% growth, Wall Street analysts project anywhere from $226 billion to $412 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2027. For reference, its fiscal 2026 revenue is expected to be about $213 billion. That's a wide range of outcomes, which showcase the market's skepticism and optimism about Nvidia's prospects at the same time.

Still, the market is more bearish than bullish on Nvidia's stock, as it trades for a mere 24 times forward earnings.

NVDA PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

Nvidia rarely trades at a level this cheap, and when it does, it's usually an excellent time to buy the stock. With the S&P 500 trading for 22.2 times forward earnings, it's only a slight premium to the broader market despite much faster growth expectations.

Most estimates call for AI spending to accelerate through at least 2030, so 2026 is still a long way away from needing to worry about what's next with Nvidia. As a result, I'm confident in recommending investors load up on Nvidia shares with a mindset of holding for several years. There are few stocks as no-brainer buys as Nvidia right now, and it's best not to overthink this one.

HomeStock IdeasQuick Picks & Lists

SummaryOakmark International Strategy portfolio's return was 4.93% (net) for the reporting period vs. MSCI World ex USA Index that returned 5.20% for the same period.Contributors to the performance were Bayer, DSV and Samsung Electronics Pfd.Detractors to the performance were Alibaba Group, CNH Industrial and Dassault Systemes. 78image/iStock via Getty Images

The following segment was excerpted from the Oakmark International Strategy Q4 2025 Commentary.

Portfolio Performance The portfolio's return was 4.93% (net) for the reporting period. This compares to the MSCI World ex USA Index that returned 5.20% for the

Stellantis N.V. is changing its strategy under Antonio Filosa's leadership, moving the company closer to actual consumer demand. A pullback of EV investments is expensive but seems warranted. Actual EV adoption has trailed Stellantis' assumptions. Localization in decision-making is clearly positive, as Stellantis' U.S. brands have taken a hit from previous failed launches.

Early in 2026, shares of semiconductor giant Broadcom NASDAQ: AVGO are continuing on their negative trajectory that characterized the end of 2025. As of the Feb. 5 close, AVGO stock has fallen 10% on the year.

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.

It can be important for investors to have a solid foundation in their portfolios.

Investors can look at Berkshire Hathaway's massive $324 billion public equities portfolio to find worthy ideas. The largest holdings, like Apple, American Express, and Coca-Cola, get a lot of the attention.

But the conglomerate owns much smaller stakes in other successful industry leaders. Say hello to what might be two of the safest Warren Buffett stocks investors can buy in 2026 -- two holdings that the now-former Berkshire chairman bought many years ago.

Image source: Getty Images.

Representing a combined 1.5% of Berkshire's portfolio As of Feb. 4, Berkshire Hathaway owns $2.7 billion worth of Visa (V +0.74%) shares and $2.2 billion worth of Mastercard (MA 0.57%) shares. Combined, these two positions make up 1.5% of the portfolio. While that's a very small percentage in the grand scheme of things, investors shouldn't let that take away from how dominant these businesses are in their industry.

Visa and Mastercard both benefit from a powerful network effect. Billions of their cards are in use around the world. And they are accepted at more than 150 million merchant locations. With more cards and more places to shop, the value proposition of the platform improves for all stakeholders. Replicating this setup would be a daunting task.

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Despite all the innovation that's been happening in payments, specifically with new offerings from fintech enterprises, as well as stablecoins, Visa and Mastercard keep reporting strong financial results. In the past 10 years, they have both registered double-digit revenue and diluted earnings-per-share growth on an annualized basis.

The supreme competitive positions that these companies have built are almost impossible to disrupt. This gives investors peace of mind, allowing shareholders to sleep well at night. And that's precisely what makes Visa and Mastercard safe stocks to hold in your portfolio.

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Safe doesn't guarantee market outperformance Based on total returns, Visa and Mastercard have both outperformed the S&P 500 index in the past decade. But they have lagged the benchmark over the last five years. Perhaps this is indicative of what's to come.

Because of how durable their growth prospects are, riding the adoption wave of cashless transactions that still has a lot of room to run, these companies are sure to be generating much higher revenue and profits in the future. Investors just shouldn't expect that market-beating gains are a certainty.

The valuations have come down in the past 12 months. They're still not cheap, though. Visa's price-to-earnings ratio of 30.9 is slightly lower than Mastercard's multiple of 32.9. But there's no doubt that investors should have their eyes on these stocks, even though they aren't going to produce outsize returns. They can still provide a solid foundation to a portfolio.

American Express 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 Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The memory chip boom is driving impressive growth for this semiconductor company.

Semiconductor stocks have got off to an impressive start in 2026, as is evident from the 12.5% gains clocked by the PHLX Semiconductor Sector index as of this writing. Not surprisingly, many companies in this sector have already delivered healthy gains to investors this year.

Micron Technology (MU +3.08%) and Sandisk are the leading names in this sector, jumping 47% and 193%, respectively, so far in 2026. The two companies have benefited from strong demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and edge devices, such as smartphones and personal computers (PCs).

However, another semiconductor stock has been crushing the broader industry in 2026 -- Lam Research (LRCX +8.30%) -- thanks to the memory boom. Let's see why that has been the case.

Image source: Getty Images.

Lam Research is a vital player in the global memory market Lam Research supplies wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) to foundries and chipmakers across the globe. Though the company gets 59% of its revenue from selling foundry equipment used for manufacturing chips designed by the likes of Nvidia, Qualcomm, Apple, and others, just over a third of its revenue comes from selling memory manufacturing equipment.

The memory equipment sold by Lam Research is used for manufacturing dynamic random access memory (DRAM) -- used for transmitting huge data sets at high speeds to support processing tasks -- and NAND flash memory that's used for storing massive amounts of data. Micron and Sandisk are the key players in these segments, and both companies report that there isn't enough supply to meet the huge demand for memory chips.

Micron, for instance, sold out its capacity of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in AI chips for 2026 before the year began. As a result, it is poised to increase its capital expenditure by 45% in the current fiscal year to $20 billion, though don't be surprised to see that number rise further as the memory shortage is anticipated to persist through 2028.

Similarly, Sandisk pointed out during its recent earnings call that demand for NAND flash storage products is exceeding supply. As Sandisk, Micron, and others rush to fill the shortage, Lam stands to benefit. This is why Lam's revenue increased by 22% year over year in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 (which ended on Dec. 28, 2025) to $5.34 billion.

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Lam's non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings increased by almost 40% year over year to $1.27 per share. The good news for investors is that Lam anticipates its healthy growth to continue, which could help the stock sustain its market-beating run.

The stock could keep crushing the market Lam stock appreciated 34% in 2026, and the company's guidance suggests that the rally is sustainable. Lam anticipates a 21% year-over-year increase in revenue in the current quarter, along with a 30% jump in adjusted earnings. But as the memory shortage isn't showing any signs of slowing down for the next three years, it could do better than that.

The company noted on its January earnings call that it expects 2026 wafer fabrication equipment spending to hit $135 billion, up 23% from last year. However, management indicated that the supply constraints across the broader semiconductor industry may lead to higher spending. This could set this tech stock up for stronger-than-expected growth in 2026, paving the way for more upside following an impressive start to the year.

Harsh Chauhan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Lam Research, Micron Technology, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

E.l.f. shares made a sudden reversal after big gains.

After opening up with big gains following the announcement of its fiscal third-quarter results, e.l.f. Beauty (ELF +6.80%) did a complete 180 to trade decisively lower.

However, this surprising reversal after outstanding results and increased guidance looks like a golden opportunity to buy the stock.

Image source: Getty Images.

Sales jump For its fiscal Q3, ended Dec. 31, e.l.f. Beauty sales soared 38% year over year to $489.5 million, easily topping the analyst consensus of $460 million, as compiled by LSEG.

Adjusted earnings per share (EPS), meanwhile, surged 68% from $0.74 to $1.24, besting the $0.72 analyst consensus. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) jumped 79% to $123 million.

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Organic growth, excluding its acquisition of Rhode, rose 2%. However, total consumption climbed 6%, including 8% in the U.S. Meanwhile, its namesake brand took 130 basis points of share in the mass cosmetics market in the quarter. Rhode contributed $128 million in revenue in the quarter, bolstered by its launch at Sephora, which is owned by LVMH.

U.S. revenue rose by 36%, while international revenue climbed 44%. However, it said it was seeing weak consumption in the U.K., while noting it also lapped its launch into the German market through Rossmann stores.

Looking ahead, e.l.f. raised its full-year fiscal 2026 guidance, with sales now expected to increase 22% to 33%, up from a prior expectation of 18% to 20% growth. Below is its updated outlook.

Metric

Prior Fiscal 2025 Outlook

Updated Fiscal 2025 Outlook

Net sales

$1.55 billion to $1.57 billion

$1.6 billion to $1.612 billion

Adjusted EBITDA

$302 million to $306 million

$323 million to $326 million

Adjusted EPS

$2.80 to $2.85

$3.05 to $3.10

Data source: e.l.f. Beauty.

The company credited its improved outlook largely to Rhode, which it now expects to contribute $260 million to $265 million in revenue, up from initial expectations of $200 million.

E.l.f. is currently looking to launch Rhode in both Australia and New Zealand. It will also introduce its Naturium brand into Walmart in the U.S. this spring. Its namesake e.l.f. brand is also set to get more shelf space at Ulta Beauty this spring and launch at DM in Germany. Meanwhile, the company said that if tariffs remain where they are at 45%, it could be a tailwind in fiscal 2027.

Time to buy the dip The intraday reversal in e.l.f. is a head-scratcher, as the company turned in excellent results that blew past estimates. Meanwhile, the company's Rhode opportunity is still in the early innings of playing out, as it has a clear runway to expand Rhode's product assortment and increase its distribution to drive growth.

With e.l.f. trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 22 times based on next fiscal year's earnings estimates and a price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio) of just 0.4 (with a PEG under 1 usually considered undervalued), this is an undervalued growth stock to buy on this dip.

Investors don't have to stick to just one company if they want exposure to the future of video entertainment.

Netflix's jaw-dropping success sparked the streaming movement. And now, the industry is crowded with numerous players all jockeying for viewership in the attention economy.

There's one well-known Netflix rival, which itself has long been a juggernaut in the media and entertainment industry, that is posting skyrocketing streaming profits. And the stock is down 48% from its peak (as of Feb. 5).

Is this a bargain opportunity that's ready for a bull run?

Image source: Walt Disney.

Better late than never It's crazy to think that Netflix launched its streaming service all the way back in 2007. It wasn't until the end of 2019 that Walt Disney (DIS +3.55%) stepped into the ring. In November of that year, Disney+ hit the market.

It was a rough start. In fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, Disney's direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming operations, which also included Hulu and ESPN+, reported a cumulative operating loss of $4.6 billion. Investors became skeptical about the segment's long-term viability.

The company quickly scaled up its subscriber base, though, thanks in large part to its unmatched intellectual property from the likes of Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel, all of which have global appeal. The DTC division's operating profit totaled $1.3 billion in fiscal 2025 (ended Sept. 27, 2025). It is expected to be $500 million in the current quarter (Q2 2026), or about $200 million higher than the year-ago period. Tactical pricing actions and expense discipline certainly helped.

Disney has an advantage in the competitive streaming market. With Disney+, Hulu (now fully owned), and ESPN all under the House of Mouse umbrella, the company has content that can satisfy any member of a household. That's why bundling has been such a strategic priority for the management team, as it can reduce churn.

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Is there significant upside? The market has had a tough time digesting Disney's transition from a cable-TV business to one that's leaning into streaming. And this could be part of the reason why the stock has lost nearly half its value since March 2021.

But the valuation is hard to ignore now. The market is offering the stock to investors at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 16.2. This is a discount to the 22.2 multiple of the S&P 500 (^GSPC +1.97%).

Disney's leadership team expects double-digit adjusted earnings per share growth this fiscal year. If that pace continues in fiscal 2027 and beyond, with streaming profits providing a lift as it evolved from sizable losses to significant income, the stock could go on a bull run.

Sandisk and Micron have a ton of momentum right now.

We're in a momentum market in the tech sector. Stocks that have positive momentum continue to climb, while segments of the market that are struggling, like software-as-a-service (SaaS) stocks, continue a downward spiral. As such, the smart move appears to be to buy the stocks that have momentum, and there is no hotter place in the tech sector than the memory market.

Let's look at two memory stocks to buy right now.

Image source: Getty Images.

Sandisk: No flash in the pan Sandisk (SNDK +3.85%) is a maker of NAND (flash memory). The company just recently returned to the market after being spun off from Western Digital back in February 2025. Meanwhile, since the start of the new year, the stock has been on fire.

The reason for Sandisk's hot stock is simple. NAND flash is in short supply, and the artificial intelligence (AI) buildout is only increasing demand, given the need for massive, high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) that use flash memory. However, after NAND prices crashed just a few years ago and companies redirected their resources toward DRAM (dynamic random access memory) and, in particular, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), most big memory makers have been reluctant to push NAND production.

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As such, this has become an ideal environment for Sandisk, which is the only pure-play publicly traded U.S. flash memory maker. The current environment is causing its revenue to soar and gross margins to expand rapidly. While the company is increasing capacity, expect the NAND market to remain tight for the foreseeable future, with pricing being the main driver of the company's growth.

Micron Technology: An HBM leader NAND flash isn't the only memory market seeing strong price increases, with the DRAM market also seeing prices spike due to a dearth of supply. One of the best companies to play this dynamic is Micron Technology (MU +3.17%), which derives around 80% of its revenue from DRAM and the rest mostly from NAND.

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Micron is benefiting from surging demand for HBM, which is needed for graphics processing units (GPUs) and other AI chips to perform their best. The company sees HBM demand growing at a 40% annual clip over the next few years, and it is working to try to increase capacity to meet this growing demand. However, manufacturing HBM is much more complex, requiring upwards of three times the wafer capacity as regular DRAM, which is causing a DRAM industry shortage and pushing up prices.

Similar to Sandisk, Micron is seeing its revenue soar and gross margins balloon. Given the rapid growth of AI infrastructure, Micron remains extremely well positioned to keep benefiting from this current super-cycle for years to come.

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.

NEW YORK, Feb. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Integer Holdings Corporation (NYSE: ITGR) between July 25, 2024 and October 22, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important February 9, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Integer common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Integer class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=49170 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 9, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Integer materially overstated its competitive position within the growing electrophysiology (“EP”) manufacturing market; (2) despite Integer’s claims of strong visibility into customer demand, Integer was experiencing a sustained deterioration in sales relating to two of its EP devices; (3) in turn, Integer mischaracterized its EP devices as a long-term growth driver for its cardio and vascular (“C&V”) segment; (4) as a result of the above, defendants’ positive statements about Integer’s business, and operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Integer class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=49170 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

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This nuclear energy ETF isn't grabbing many headlines, but it's beating its rivals, cementing its hidden gem status.

Proud Gen Xers (I'm one) and our parents remember a time when nuclear energy was, well, radioactive. The Cold War and the Chernobyl disaster, among other factors, fostered negative perspectives about atomic power.

Times change, and investors need to roll with those punches or risk missing out on potential gains. These days, the phrase "nuclear renaissance" is arguably overused. Still, it rings true because nuclear is not only considered clean energy, but it's also a key ingredient in the foundation of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.

Image source: Getty Images.

Leave it to the always-inventive exchange-traded funds (ETFs) industry to bring nuclear energy investing to the masses. Today, there are nearly 10 dedicated nuclear or uranium miner ETFs on the market, one of which is the Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (NUKZ +5.03%).

Apt ticker, significant returns From a marketing standpoint, this ETF got things right with a memorable ticker, but there's much more to the story. After all, a cute ticker doesn't explain why an ETF that's barely more than 2 years old has more than $808 million in assets under management (AUM).

To be sure, that's an impressive tally, especially given that it isn't an ETF tied to a behemoth issuer. Fortunately, the Range ETF is rewarding investors' faith as it has easily outpaced several of its more popular rivals.

NUKZ data by YCharts

Knowing that an ETF is outperforming its peers is only half the battle. Understanding how and why that upside is being generated is even more critical. In the case of the Range ETF, it's an index fund, so active management isn't the explanation, but the composition of the Range Nuclear Renaissance index sheds some light on why this ETF is delivering the goods for investors.

This ETF's advantages shine through at the sector level. While the fund is significantly overweight on energy stocks (13.20%) relative to the category average (2.14%), it has accrued significant benefit from its nearly 55% weight to industrial stocks, which is more than double the category average.

Looked at another way, this fund isn't as commodities-intensive as some investors might expect, but instead derives upside from some surprising names. For example, GE Vernova (GEV +5.67%) and Lockheed Martin (LMT +2.28%) probably aren't the names many investors would expect to see among the top five holdings in a nuclear ETF, but they make the cut for the Range ETF, and that's been positive for this fund's owners.

NYSEMKT: NUKZExchange Traded Concepts Trust - Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF

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Geographic diversification, defensive posture This ETF has other perks worth highlighting. For example, it's a global fund, as more than a third of its 45 holdings are shares of companies based outside the U.S. That may be a selling point for investors who want to maintain some domestic exposure while capitalizing on upside from ex-U.S. companies.

Then there's the fund's, albeit moderate, defensive positioning, with an almost-28% allocation to the utilities sector. Not only is that more than double what's found in competing funds, but that overweight to utilities could provide investors with some protection if the recent technology sell-off extends.

If there's a rub with the nuclear ETF, it's that 0.85% expense ratio. In ETF terms, that's not cheap, but if the atomic renaissance proves to be in its early innings, this ETF may be worth paying up for in the long run.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, but may initiate a beneficial Long position through a purchase of the stock, or the purchase of call options or similar derivatives in BDN over 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.

Azure is the star of Microsoft's report.

Microsoft (MSFT +2.00%) hasn't had a great start to 2026. Its stock recently was down 11% for the year, with the bulk of that fall coming after its second-quarter fiscal year 2026 earnings report, when it declined 10% in a single day.

This decline will make it difficult to outperform the market in 2026, as the stock doesn't get the benefit of starting at its current low price tag. It must make up the ground it has lost. The S&P 500 (^GSPC +1.97%) is up a mere 1%, so it doesn't have a ton to make up. Still, it won't be easy for Microsoft.

However, I think there's one clear reason why Microsoft can still outperform the market in 2026, and it all revolves around Azure.

Image source: Getty Images.

Cloud computing is the key to AI Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing division. Cloud computing plays a huge role in AI, as upstarts and developers cannot afford to build a massive data center filled with the necessary computing equipment to train and run an AI model properly. Instead, big tech companies like Microsoft are building excess computing capacity, then renting it to their clients. As long as Microsoft can build the data centers, buy the expensive computing units, and then operate them for less than what they charge, it's a huge opportunity for Microsoft.

Unfortunately, we don't know what the economics of Azure's business are, because Microsoft doesn't individually break out its profits by division. However, two of Azure's competitors, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Alphabet's Google Cloud, do. During the first quarter, AWS delivered a 35% operating margin. Google Cloud's operating margins were 24% during the same period.

So I think it's safe to assume that Azure's operating margins are likely within 25% to 35%. Compared to Microsoft's overall operating margin of around 47%, this means that Azure could be a drag.

MSFT Operating Margin (TTM) data by YCharts.

However, Azure's operating margin may be better than its peers'. There's just no way to be certain. Regardless, Azure is Microsoft's fastest-growing segment, increasing its revenue at a 39% pace during Q2 (ended Dec. 31, 2025). Management also noted that Azure's growth rate could have been faster if it had used the computing capacity that came online during Q1 and Q2 for external use rather than internal.

Microsoft's overall growth rate for Q2 was 17%. The next-fastest-growing segment was Microsoft 365 Consumer Cloud at 29% growth. Clearly, cloud computing is leading the way for Microsoft, and I think it will continue to do so for many years. Microsoft can still rise to outperform the broader market, and if it does, it will be because of its cloud computing platform.

Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of BAM 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.

The information contained herein is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this article should be taken as a solicitation to purchase or sell securities. Before buying or selling shares, you should do your own research and reach your own conclusion or consult a financial advisor. Investing includes risks, including loss of principal.

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.

Broadcom is the least-well-known trillion-dollar company.

If you asked the average investor to name the top 10 largest companies by market cap or every $1 trillion company, they probably could do fairly well. However, I can nearly guarantee that the majority of investors would leave one company off the list: Broadcom (AVGO +7.22%). Broadcom isn't as well-known as some of the other household names at this threshold, and that makes it fly a bit under the radar, even if it's worth $1.5 trillion.

Over the next two years, Broadcom has a ton of growth in the pipeline that could push it from an obscure stock to one of the more well-known ones, similar to how Nvidia rose from niche knowledge to kitchen table talk. This rise in fame would also coincide with stock price appreciation, making Broadcom a fantastic option to consider buying now.

Image source: Getty Images.

Broadcom is Nvidia's only real challenger Nvidia has dominated the AI computing market and has secured a massive market share. However, its clients are constantly looking for ways to replace Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs), because they're so expensive.

Broadcom is trying to steal some of that market share by partnering directly with AI hyperscalers and designing custom AI chips suited for their needs. These chips are set up to run one function, so they aren't as flexible as a GPU. However, companies can buy more ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits) for their dollar than they can Nvidia GPUs, which leads to a more cost-effective solution.

The chipmaker already has several large clients using its chips, most notably Google with its Tensor Processing Unit. However, there are several other AI hyperscalers that are in the process of finishing their designs and purchasing chips throughout 2026 and 2027. This will lead to impressive growth, challenging Nvidia at the top of the computing food chain.

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For the first quarter, Broadcom expects its AI semiconductor revenue to double year over year. That's the fastest growth rate from any company in the AI computing space, showcasing Broadcom's ability to take market share. However, Broadcom is more than just a custom AI chip company. It has several other business units that aren't growing nearly as fast, which drags down Broadcom's overall growth rate.

Still, Wall Street analysts project 52% revenue growth companywide in fiscal year 2026, even with AI semiconductor revenue making up less than half of its current total. FY 2027 is also strong, with 39% revenue growth expected. That growth will vault Broadcom up the company rankings, allowing it to potentially reach the exclusive $3 trillion market cap club by the end of 2027.

That would result in the stock doubling in two years, making it a clear, no-brainer buy right now.

Luckin Coffee shas opened a premium flagship and is thought to be considering a bif for Costa Coffee. Photographer: Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg

© 2025 Bloomberg Finance LP

Luckin Coffee is taking a direct swipe at Starbucks’ premium ambitions with the opening of a flagship store in Shenzhen, China that pushes the fast-growing chain beyond its roots as a seller of cut-price coffee.

It is also being linked with a possible bid for Coca Cola-owned U.K. coffee chain Costa Coffee.

The two-storey Origin Flagship, on the border with Hong Kong, offers pour-over and cold brew coffees alongside more elaborate drinks such as a tiramisu latte topped with a pastry.

Prices are higher than Luckin Coffee’s usual cut-price $1–$2 Americanos and lattes, for which it has built its reputation, and there have been wating times reported of up to three hours since the soft launch on January 20.

The move marks Luckin’s most obvious attempt yet to move in on territory long dominated by Seattle-based Starbucks, which has used its Reserve Roasteries to help define the idea of coffee as a premium experience in China.

Starbucks chose Shanghai in 2017 for only the second Reserve Roastery it opened, after hometown Seattle, betting early that China’s famously tea-drinking consumers would trade up. That bet is now under strain as competition intensifies from domestic chains such as Manner and Cotti, which often sell drinks at half Starbucks’ prices, as well as from Luckin’s relentless expansion.

MORE FOR YOU

Luckin Coffee Stores GrowthLuckin overtook Starbucks by store count in China several years ago on the back of its app-driven, kiosk-heavy model, and the Shenzhen opening, billed as its 30,000th store, underlines how far it has come since an accounting scandal in 2020 forced it to delist from the Nasdaq.

The company reported revenue of $1.55 billion for the three months to the end of September 2025, up nearly 48% year-on-year, driven largely by its self-operated stores, which make up the bulk of its Chinese footprint. By contrast, Starbucks has just over 8,000 stores in China, compared with about 16,900 in the U.S. market.

Starbucks’ response has been to retreat from full control. It is expected to complete a deal this spring to sell 60% of its Chinese business to Boyu Capital, valuing the operation at $13 billion including future licensing fees, while retaining a 40% stake. Comparable same-store sales in China have improved but remain modest, highlighting the difficulty of defending margins in an increasingly crowded market.

Luckin Coffee is diversifying from its cut price coffee offer.

getty

Luckin’s resurgence has been helped by aggressive marketing tie-ups, from premium spirits brand Moutai to popular cartoons and video games, and by its ability to funnel customers through its smartphone app rather than traditional counter service.

The strategy has allowed it to build a large pool of loyal users and to move quickly into new formats as consumer tastes evolve. Luckin is also rumored to exploring bolder inorganic growth, including a possible bid for U.K.-headquartered coffee chain Costa Coffee.

Luckin Coffee Brews Costa Coffee DealCenturium Capital, the Chinese private equity firm behind Luckin Coffee, is understood to be exploring a potential bid for the cafe chain currently being sold by owner Coca-Cola, which acquired Costa Coffee in 2019, with discussions believed to be at an early stage.

The potential sale has drawn interest from several buyout firms and strategic investors, with indicative offers valuing Costa Coffee at around $1.3 billion, although last month it appeared Coca Cola had decided to withdraw from any sale of the chain.

A deal would mark Centurium’s first major European investment and expand its exposure to the global coffee market.

Behind the scenes, investors are also said to be pushing for change and greater operational influence as the company considers a possible U.S. relisting, hinted at last year by chief executive Guo Jinyi.

Some bankers say a deeper hand from financial sponsors could help impose the discipline needed for international expansion, even as Luckin Coffee presses ahead with opening stores overseas, including a growing cluster in New York and a sizeable presence in Singapore and Malaysia.

The semiconductor industry will remain at the center of some of the most valuable technological revolutions.

Without advanced chips, networking equipment, and other hardware, we wouldn't have computers, smartphones, cloud computing, or artificial intelligence (AI). Plus, emerging innovations like quantum computing, robotics, and self-driving vehicles would remain nothing more than science fiction.

History suggests investing in the semiconductor industry tends to yield significant rewards over the long term. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX +5.34%) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that holds 30 of the world's most dominant semiconductor stocks, and it has delivered a return of 1,150% over the last decade. That was four times higher than the return in the S&P 500 over the same period.

SOXX data by YCharts.

Micron Technology (MU +3.17%), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD +8.32%), and Nvidia (NVDA +7.87%) are among the largest holdings in the iShares ETF, and they have made significant contributions to its historical returns. Looking ahead, here's how they can help the fund turn a consistent investment of $500 per month into $1 million over the long run.

Image source: Getty Images.

Nvidia, AMD, and Micron have experienced blistering growth The iShares Semiconductor ETF invests exclusively in U.S.-listed companies that design, manufacture, and distribute chips and components, with a special focus on those supplying the AI boom. As a result, it doesn't offer much in the way of diversification, so investors should buy it only as part of a diversified portfolio of other ETFs and individual stocks.

As I touched on earlier, Micron, AMD, and Nvidia are the three largest holdings in the ETF, accounting for 23.6% of the value of its entire portfolio on their own:

Stock

iShares ETF Portfolio Weighting

1. Micron Technology

8.82%

2. Advanced Micro Devices 

7.43%

3. Nvidia

7.37%

Data source: iShares. Portfolio weightings are accurate as of Jan. 30, 2026, and are subject to change.

Micron supplies high-bandwidth memory chips for use in a data center, and Nvidia and AMD have embedded the semiconductors in their latest graphics processing units (GPUs, the primary chips used in AI development). The company is also experiencing a surge in demand for memory and storage chips for personal computers and smartphones, where AI workloads are gradually migrating.

Nvidia's GPUs remain the top choice among AI developers, because they deliver best-in-class performance. But AMD will launch a new data center rack this year called Helios, which will be fitted with its latest MI450 GPUs, and it's expected to help the company close the gap to Nvidia.

These three companies are a big reason the iShares ETF consistently produces market-beating returns. Over the last 10 years, the worst performer of the group is Micron, which still soared by a staggering 3,690% -- or a multiple of almost 37 times:

NVDA data by YCharts.

I also want to mention a couple of other powerhouses that could make meaningful contributions to the future returns of the iShares ETF:

Broadcom: Its AI accelerators (data center chips) have become popular alternatives to GPUs because they can be fully customized to suit specific workloads. The company also supplies some of the best networking equipment for regulating how fast data travels between chips and devices in AI applications. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing: This is the largest semiconductor fabrication company in the world. It manufactures around 90% of all advanced chips across the entire industry, including those designed by Nvidia and AMD. Turning $500 per month into $1 million The iShares Semiconductor ETF has delivered a compound annual return of 12.2% since its inception in 2001, and an accelerated annual return of 27.3% over the last decade specifically, thanks to soaring demand for chips from cloud providers and AI developers.

Here's how long it might take the iShares ETF to turn a consistent investment of $500 per month into $1 million, based on three different average annual returns:

Monthly Investment

Compound Annual Return

Time To Reach $1 Million

Total Deposits

$500

12.2%

25 years and 2 months

$151,500

$500

19.7% (midpoint)

18 years

$108,500

$500

27.3%

14 years and 2 months

$85,500

Calculations by author.

It isn't realistic to expect this ETF (or any fund) to deliver a blistering annual return of over 27% forever, because the law of large numbers eventually leads to some crazy math. For example, Nvidia is a $4.6 trillion company as I write this, but it would be worth $51 trillion a decade from now if it grew by 27.3% per year. For some perspective, the output of the entire U.S. economy was just $30.6 trillion in 2025.

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But per the table above, the iShares Semiconductor ETF could turn $500 a month into $1 million in 25 years even if its annual return reverted back to its more modest long-term average of 12.2%.

With that said, I think the ETF could deliver accelerated returns for at least the next few years based purely on the incredible demand for chips for AI. According to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, data center operators could be spending $4 trillion annually on AI infrastructure by 2030, which is a huge opportunity for his company, but also other market leaders like AMD and Micron.

Even when the AI build-out eventually slows down, I think newer innovations like quantum computing, robotics, and autonomous vehicles will pick up the slack. Each of those technologies will require a substantial amount of computing power, taking semiconductor demand to new heights.

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Wall Street sees another busy week of earnings and economic data ahead, but traders will also be keeping a close eye on crypto action after the huge risk-off move.

On the economic front, retail sales figures for December hit Tuesday, while the January jobs report, delayed due to the partial government shutdown, arrives Wednesday. The delayed January CPI hits Friday.

Another 78 S&P 500 (SP500) companies will report, including three Dow Industrials (DJI) components: Coca-Cola (KO), McDonald's (MCD), and Cisco (CSCO). The Dow topped 50K for the first time last week.

Other earnings of note: ON Semiconductor (ON), Ford (F), AstraZeneca (AZN), and Applied Materials (AMAT).

Earnings spotlight: Monday, February 9: ON Semiconductor and Loews (L). See the full earnings calendar.

Earnings spotlight: Tuesday, February 10: Coca-Cola, AstraZeneca, Gilead (GILD), Ford. See the full earnings calendar.

Earnings spotlight: Wednesday, February 11: McDonald's, Cisco, T-Mobile US (TMUS), TotalEnergies SE (TTE). See the full earnings calendar.

Earnings spotlight: Thursday, February 12: Applied Materials, British American Tobacco (BTI). See the full earnings calendar.

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In case you missed it

Amid declines over the last 12 months, Costco stock is rising again.

Costco Wholesale (COST +1.20%) lost value over the last 12 months, so it might surprise investors to see that the stock has risen 15% since the beginning of the year.

The increase is likely not news-driven. Retail stocks such as Walmart and Target have risen in similar proportions, and the company's earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 do not come out until March 5.

Does this increase mean investors should buy Costco stock? Let's take a closer look.

Image source: Getty Images.

What drives Costco's stock Costco has long been a popular choice for customers and investors alike. It maintains a membership renewal rate of around 92%, an indicator of its consistently loyal following.

On the investor side, it was a longtime holding in Berkshire Hathaway's when Warren Buffett oversaw its investments, and Buffett partner Charlie Munger sat on Costco's board until his passing in 2023.

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Moreover, even though Costco does not grow rapidly, its revenue rose by 6% in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 (ended Nov. 23, 2025), and its $2.0 billion in net income for that quarter surged 11% higher. That was close to its fiscal 2025 results, when revenue increased by 8%, and its $8.1 billion profit was 10% above year-ago levels.

Additionally, Costco's warehouses have succeeded in one key area where most competitors have failed -- international expansion. Costco's approach has resonated both in Europe and Asia, markets where Walmart had little success with brick-and-mortar stores. That has given Costco a much larger addressable market.

The problem with Costco is its success itself, and it may be too late to buy. Amid the recent rise in the stock price, its P/E ratio is now 52, a level far surpassing Walmart, Target, and even Amazon. Unfortunately, with profits rising in the low double-digits, its growth likely does not justify its valuation.

COST PE Ratio data by YCharts

Furthermore, Berkshire Hathaway closed its Costco position in 2020, in part for this reason. Although Buffett later said that it was "probably a mistake," the valuation has risen since that time, making it more of a concern.

Stand pat on Costco stock Although long-term investors have good reason to hold Costco stock, investors should not add shares at this time. Indeed, Costco is a high-quality company, and its ability to continue growing its revenue and profits is unlikely to change.

Unfortunately, Costco's success is well known to investors and priced too much into the stock given its valuation. Until its earnings multiple is closer to that of its peers, this stock is probably not a buy.

Will Healy has positions in Berkshire Hathaway and Target. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Costco Wholesale, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

CME Group remains a Hold; shares reflect robust fundamentals but limited near-term upside at 25x forward earnings. CME posted record annual revenue and earnings, with Q4 operating margins near 67% and strong trading volumes in key segments. Recent fee hikes and product innovations provide incremental growth, but future returns hinge on sustained trading activity.