The majority of Americans say US global influence has declined under Trump's second term, per poll. Sharp divisions over foreign policy and leadership.
Jim Cramer questioned why Advanced Micro Devices Inc. structured its AI deal with Meta Platforms Inc. to include up to 160 million shares, and CEO Lisa Su defended the performance-based warrants as a "win" for shareholders amid a broader push to scale AI infrastructure.
The company is heavily investing in scale AI for buyers and sellers on its platforms to drive more revenue growth while the bottom line remains squeezed.
CEOs of Apple and major chip-makers like Nvidia were briefed by the CIA in 2023 on intelligence indicating China could move to take over Taiwan in 2027, according to the NYT.
American Rebel Holdings shares jumped 37% after hours to $0.21 following a partnership between Champion Safe and A1 Safe to showcase vaults at the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo.
Jackson Financial’s fourth quarter results surpassed Wall Street expectations for both revenue and non-GAAP earnings, yet the market responded with a significant negative move. Management attributed strong quarterly performance to continued growth in retail annuity sales, particularly through its RILA (Registered Index-Linked Annuity) and fixed index annuity products. CEO Laura Prieskorn highlighted that the company achieved the highest quarterly and annual retail annuity sales since becoming a public company, noting that “continued growth in RILA, combined with accelerated growth in our recently introduced fixed index annuity, have deepened our distribution relationships and diversified our business.” Management also pointed to the benefit of disciplined capital management and ongoing product innovation, but acknowledged that equity market dynamics and elevated surrender rates in variable annuities were headwinds.
Herbalife’s fourth quarter results were shaped by a combination of robust product innovation, regional sales momentum, and continued investment in its distributor network. Management highlighted India’s record quarterly net sales, attributed to the recent reduction in goods and services tax rates, and noted that enhanced digital tools and tailored training supported distributor engagement. CEO Stephan Gratziani credited ongoing product launches, such as MultiBurn and HL/Skin, and improved distributor retention for creating what he described as a “strong close to the year.”
Jack in the Box’s fourth quarter was met with a negative market reaction following results that missed Wall Street’s expectations for both revenue and earnings. Management attributed the underperformance to persistent challenges in guest traffic, elevated commodity costs—especially for beef—and operational issues in key markets like Chicago. CEO Lance Tucker described the period as “choppy” and noted that while there were some bright spots, particularly from new product launches tied to the company’s 75th anniversary, these were not enough to offset broader declines in same-store sales and profit margins.
DoorDash’s fourth quarter results were met with a positive market response, despite sales and non-GAAP profit landing slightly below Wall Street expectations. Management attributed quarterly growth to continued expansion across non-restaurant categories, such as grocery and retail, and cited strong user engagement as a key driver. CEO Tony Xu highlighted that "around 30% of customers are now ordering outside the restaurant category," reflecting successful diversification initiatives. The company’s international business, including the integration of Deliveroo and Wolt, also contributed to higher growth rates outside the U.S., while ongoing improvements in unit economics supported the overall performance.
Bausch + Lomb’s fourth quarter showed strong revenue growth but fell short on non-GAAP profit expectations, prompting a modestly negative market reaction. Management attributed the performance to robust momentum in its dry eye portfolio, notably Miebo, and improved operating leverage through cost discipline. CEO Brenton Saunders emphasized the impact of executing their Vision 27 program, citing a shift toward higher-margin products and operational efficiency as key contributors. Saunders remarked, “The quarter reflects the impact of Vision 27, our program that we put in place at the beginning of the year, and we're shifting mix towards higher-margin products, improving pricing discipline, driving productivity across the organization and operating with a more fixed cost infrastructure.”
Vita Coco’s fourth quarter results reflected a mix of progress and ongoing headwinds, as revenue surpassed Wall Street expectations but earnings per share came in below consensus. Management identified healthy international momentum and improved U.S. distribution as key drivers, but noted that flat overall sales and lower sales volumes were weighed down by lingering inventory and tariff-related costs. CEO Martin F. Roper acknowledged, "We operated the quarter primarily on spot rates, with some fixed price arrangements on certain lanes to secure capacity," highlighting the company’s tactical approach to navigating supply chain challenges.
Wingstop’s fourth-quarter performance drew a significant positive market reaction, despite revenue falling slightly short of Wall Street expectations. Management attributed the quarter’s results to ongoing investments in restaurant technology and global expansion, including the full deployment of the Wingstop Smart Kitchen and entry into six new international markets. CEO Michael Skipworth highlighted operational improvements and a continued focus on unit economics, noting that company-owned restaurants achieved higher average unit volumes and healthy margins. Skipworth acknowledged challenges in same-store sales, which declined for the first time in over two decades, largely due to macroeconomic pressures on core consumers and pockets of weakness during lunch and snack dayparts. However, management pointed to strong signs of brand health and guest satisfaction, with Skipworth stating, “I continue to be reminded of how our business has scaled in the last three years.”
Sabre’s fourth-quarter results were met with a significant positive market reaction, reflecting investor optimism around the company’s performance and trajectory. Management attributed the momentum to continued gains in travel distribution share, the expansion of its multi-source content platform, and solid growth in both hotel distribution and the payments business. CEO Kurt J. Ekert emphasized, “Our growth outlook is driven by continued distribution share gains, expansion of our multi-source content platform, and improving performance in our airline technology business.” The quarter also saw progress in agentic AI initiatives and notable wins in air bookings and NDC (New Distribution Capability) integrations.
Booking’s fourth quarter drew a negative market reaction, despite revenue and non-GAAP profit meeting or exceeding Wall Street expectations. Management attributed the period’s growth to robust travel demand across all major regions and increased investment in performance marketing and social media channels, particularly in Asia and the U.S. CEO Glenn Fogel highlighted the continued expansion of the Genius loyalty program and the integration of generative AI into customer service operations as key contributors. Chief Financial Officer Ewout Steenbergen noted, “Our absolute number in terms of customer service costs are down and our bookings are up approximately 10%.”
