AMD's AI Ambitions: A High-Stakes Bet on the Data Center Boom
Despite a premium valuation, AMD is positioning itself as a key challenger in the AI chip race, betting big on integrated data center systems to capture surging demand.
Despite a premium valuation, AMD is positioning itself as a key challenger in the AI chip race, betting big on integrated data center systems to capture surging demand.
Exco Technologies Ltd. (TSE:XTC) kicked off its fiscal 2026 with a solid first quarter, posting higher profits despite a mixed demand environment. Robust growth in its Automotive Solutions segment successfully countered softer demand in its die-cast tooling business, showcasing the resilience of its diversified model amid ongoing trade policy and economic uncertainty.
Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT) reported robust Q4 2025 results, driven by exceptional commercial HVAC demand and a record $7.8 billion backlog. While proactive inventory adjustments pressured residential margins, executives project 12-14% adjusted EPS growth for 2026, fueled by strategic acquisitions and sustained commercial strength.
In its Q4 2025 earnings call, SL Green Realty projected strong fundamentals for Manhattan's office market, citing robust leasing and AI-driven demand. Management reiterated ambitious 2026 financing and asset sale targets while reporting quarterly results that beat expectations.
Despite a persistently muted demand environment, Sherwin-Williams reported robust fourth-quarter earnings, driven by cost discipline and strategic acquisitions. The paint giant forecasts low-to-mid single-digit sales growth for 2026 while reinstating employee benefits, signaling cautious optimism amid ongoing economic headwinds.
Freedom Capital Markets has lowered its price target for Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) from $34 to $25, citing a mixed quarterly performance and a challenging outlook as China's electric vehicle sector grapples with a fierce price war and softening demand.
As demand for specialist education soars, private investors—from Abu Dhabi to private equity firms—are capitalizing on a strained system, drawing criticism for extracting profits from vulnerable children and cash-strapped councils.
ResMed reports robust revenue and margin expansion in its fiscal Q2 2026, driven by strong device and mask sales. Management highlights strategic investments in AI-powered patient tools and views GLP-1 medications as a potential catalyst for future demand.
Despite facing what its CEO called "highly variable" housing demand in 2025, PulteGroup reported another year of robust revenue and earnings, driven by its diversified buyer mix and strength in the active-adult segment. While Q4 profitability softened, the homebuilder is betting on strategic land investments and a resilient spring selling season to fuel its 2026 outlook.
Meritage Homes concluded a challenging 2025, citing affordability pressures and waning buyer confidence. While maintaining a cautious stance on incentives, the homebuilder is expanding its community footprint and boosting shareholder returns, betting on long-term demographic demand.
Barclays raises Astera Labs' price target to $165, naming it a top pick for AI integration plays in its 2026 semiconductor outlook, while contrasting analyst views highlight the evolving debate on AI's infrastructure demands.
Despite record iPhone demand, Apple CEO Tim Cook warns that soaring memory chip costs are set to squeeze margins, highlighting a supply crisis gripping the entire tech industry.
Western Digital Corp (WDC) announced a robust 25% year-over-year revenue increase for its fiscal second quarter of 2026, driven by strategic long-term agreements and a favorable product mix. While consumer segment challenges persist, the company is positioning itself to capitalize on the burgeoning data storage demands from artificial intelligence.
Fueled by exceptional demand for its HOKA and UGG brands, Deckers Outdoor Corp. posted a robust third-quarter performance, prompting the company to raise its fiscal 2026 guidance. Executives pointed to strategic product launches, direct-to-consumer strength, and clean marketplace inventories as key drivers.
KLA Corporation reports robust fiscal 2025 results driven by AI demand, but warns of supply constraints and geopolitical factors tempering near-term growth, with a significant acceleration projected for late 2026 and 2027.
Olin Corporation is closing its Guarujá epoxy facility as part of a broader cost-cutting initiative, responding to soft chlorine demand and operational headwinds. The company pins a turnaround for its Epoxy segment on 2026, while its Winchester ammunition unit raises prices to counter inflation.
Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) shares surged nearly 19% after posting a 48% jump in annual profit, driven by robust ticket sales and onboard spending. The cruise giant's bullish outlook for 2026 signals continued strong demand in the travel sector.
Shares of Liberty Energy (LBRT) surged over 16% to an all-time peak as CEO Ron Gusek's aggressive growth roadmap, targeting a tripling of power demand, overshadowed a sharp decline in annual profits.
Despite a challenging year marked by oil price volatility and softer demand for completion services, Liberty Energy (LBRT) closed 2025 with a resilient Q4 performance. The company is aggressively scaling its distributed power solutions business, targeting 3 GW of projects by 2029, even as it manages pricing pressures in its core fracking operations.
Kirby Corporation (NYSE: KEX) reported record annual earnings for 2025, fueled by robust free cash flow and strategic capital returns. While Q4 faced seasonal pressures, management highlighted a late-quarter rebound in inland marine and surging demand in power generation, setting the stage for what they project as a year of steady financial performance in 2026.