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Dell unveils new XPS line of laptops with built-in AI
Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) unveiled new laptops from its XPS portfolio which are powered by Intel Core Ultra processors and AI.
The company introduced new screen sizes with the XPS 16, and XPS 14 and revamped the XPS 13 Plus to XPS 13.
The lineup also brings new AI-enabled features. The company said the new XPS portfolio, powered by Intel Core Ultra processors, features a built-in AI acceleration engine with the addition of a neural processing unit, or NPU. The laptops all come with Microsoft's (MSFT) AI service Copilot in Windows 11.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 04, 2024
QuantumScape skyrockets after dazzling with Volkswagen battery test
In a test confirmed by PowerCo, QuantumScape's (QS) solid-state cell significantly exceeded the requirements in the A-sample test and successfully completed more than 1,000 charging cycles. PowerCo noted that for an electric car with a WLTP range of 500-600 kilometres, this corresponds to a total mileage of more than half a million kilometres. Notably, the cell barely aged and still had 95% of its capacity or discharge energy retention at the end of the test.
PowerCo CEO Frank Blome: "These are very encouraging results that impressively underpin the potential of the solid-state cell. The final result of this development could be a battery cell that enables long ranges, can be charged super-quickly and practically does not age. We are convinced of the solid-state cell and are continuing to work at full speed with our partner QuantumScape towards series production."
Looking ahead, the next step on the way to series production is for QuantumScape (QS) to perfect and scale the manufacturing processes.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 04, 2024
Renaissance's Jeff deGraaf: We're in a bull market and have been for almost a year says
Link to YouTube Video (03:03 Mins) - Jan 5, 2024
News, Facts, Analyst & Market Commentary - Short Reads
TSLA 0.00%↑ RIVN 0.00%↑ GM 0.00%↑
2024 electric vehicle jolt - fewer models qualify for the full tax credit
The calendar rolling to January 1, 2024 means that the number of electric vehicle models eligible for the $7,500 consumer tax credit in the U.S. fell to 13 (from 25) due to tighter rules around sourcing parts from Chinese suppliers.
The new rules specifically exclude from the tax credit vehicles that use battery components made by Chinese manufacturers.
Vehicles still eligible for the full $7,500 EV tax credit include variants of the Tesla's (NASDAQ:TSLA) Model Y, Rivian Automotive's (NASDAQ:RIVN) R1T pickup , Stellantis N.V. (STLA) Jeep Wrangler 4xe, General Motors' (GM) Chevrolet Bolt, and Ford Motor's (F) F-150 Lightning pickup truck. Notably, Nissan Leaf (OTCPK:NSANY) and Tesla (TSLA) Cybertruck fell off the list at the stroke of midnight, but still qualify for a $3,750 tax credit with a long list of other EV models.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 01, 2024
Tesla tops Q4 deliveries expectations, ends 2023 with 1.81M vehicles moved while Rivian Automotive misses Q4 deliveries
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) disclosed on Tuesday that it produced 494,989 vehicles in Q4 and delivered over 484,507 vehicles in comparison to the consensus estimate of 483K deliveries. Model 3 and Model Y deliveries accounted for 95% of the quarterly total. For the full year, vehicle deliveries grew 38% year-over-year to 1.81M while production grew 35% to 1.85M vehicles.
Rivian Automotive said it produced 17,541 vehicles and delivered 13,972 vehicles during Q4, 2023. The delivery tally was slightly below the consensus expectation of analysts for 14,111 vehicles.
On a full-year 2023 basis, Rivian produced 57,232 vehicles and delivered 50,122, which topped the most recent full-year 2023 production guidance from Rivian (RIVN) of 54,000 vehicles.
BYD reported selling approximately 3.02M vehicles in 2023, comprising 1.6M battery-electric vehicles and approximately 1.4M plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 02, 2024
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 02, 2024
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 02, 2024
Apple leads premium smartphone sales; market share slides
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is still the leader among premium smartphones but the Tim Cook-led company lost market share in 2023, Counterpoint Research said on Tuesday. The premium segment hit a record amid a decline in the overall market.
The U.S. tech giant’s market share fell last year to 71% from 75% in 2022 for devices priced above $600, preliminary data showed. China, India, the Middle East and Africa and Latin America are expected to have set a new record for premium market sales, with India growing the fastest around the world.
Global smartphone shipments in 2023 were projected to have declined 5% year-over-year to reach 1.2B, the lowest level in almost a decade, Counterpoint Research said last year.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 02, 2024
Link to Counterpoint Research Article - Jan. 02, 2024
CVS to drop Humira from certain formularies, cover biosimilars instead
CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) said that its Caremark unit will remove AbbVie’s (NYSE:ABBV) blockbuster drug Humira from its major national commercial formularies on April 1 and cover biosimilars of the product instead.
The healthcare conglomerate said Humira will still be included in its Choice and Standard Opt Out commercial formularies.
CVS added that AbbVie has agreed to supply a “committed” volume of Humira co-branded with CVS’ new Cordavis biosimilar unit.
CVS launched Cordavis last August to work directly with drug manufacturers to commercialize and co-develop biosimilars for the US market. At the time, CVS said Cordavis’ first product would be a biosimilar version of Humira developed by Sandoz.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 03, 2024
[Newsletter Exclusive] Red Sea ship attacks send ocean freight rates soaring
Ocean freight rates are surging after Houthi rebels attacked a Maersk ship last weekend caused carriers to suspend plans to restart transits through the Red Sea en route to the Suez Canal, Reuters reported Wednesday.
The attacks have forced ships to reroute around the southern tip of Africa, driving up the cost for vessels for the longer voyage, although rates remain well below COVID-era levels.
The trade route is used by as much as one third of global container ship cargo, and re-directing ships around the Cape of Good Hope.
Asia-to-North Europe rates more than doubled to more than $4,000 per 40-ft. container this week, with Asia-to-Mediterranean prices jumping to $5,175, according to Reuters, citing international freight booking and payments platform Freightos (CRGO).
Rates for shipments from Asia to North America's East Coast surged 55% to $3,900 per 40-ft. container, and West Coast prices soared 63% to more than $2,700 ahead of expected cargo diversions to avoid Red Sea-related issues, Freightos said.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 03, 2024
AAPL 0.00%↑ MSFT 0.00%↑ TSLA 0.00%↑
[Newsletter Exclusive] Megacap rout in January is now consensus - BofA
The Magnificent 7 have seen exposure by long-only active funds reach "critical mass," BofA says.
"Crowding risk in the leaders of 2023 has been cited by many (including ourselves) as a key risk in 2024," strategist Savita Subramanian wrote in a note. "In particular, year-end 'window dressing' may have pushed active funds into big Tech leaders, but these stocks could be used as a source of funds if a hard landing is avoided and leadership broadens beyond secular growth stocks."
"Some of this theme has played out – the equal-weighted S&P 500 (RSP) has handily outperformed the capweighted index (SPY) (IVV) (VOO) since mid-November," Subramanian said. "We hear from our clients that a broadening of market leadership is now as consensus as the unwavering bond love / equity hatred we heard at the end of 2022. The January pain trade may thus be higher TMT/mega-caps."
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 03, 2024
Microsoft adds Copilot AI button in first big change to PC keyboard in decades
The company noted that over the coming days leading up to and at the CES technology conference the Copilot key will come up on many of the new Windows 11 PCs from its ecosystem partners, with availability starting in late February through Spring, including on upcoming Surface devices.
"The new key will invoke the Copilot in Windows experience to make it seamless to engage Copilot in your day to day," according to a blog post by Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president, Consumer chief marketing officer.
About 30 years ago, the company introduced the Windows key to the PC keyboard which enabled people to interact with Windows.
Copilot helps users create images, write content and summarize text with the help of AI. The AI tool also helps turn your ideas into songs, among other features.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 04, 2024
QCOM 0.00%↑ GOOG 0.00%↑ GOOGL 0.00%↑
Qualcomm shows off new AI-powered architecture for headsets amid Vision Pro buzz
Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) unveiled a new chip architecture on Thursday, the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, which could put various mixed reality headsets on equal footing with Apple's (AAPL) upcoming Vision Pro.
The Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 will offer 4.3K spatial computing at 90 frames per second to improve visual clarity. The new architecture, which is based on the recently announced Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2, will have "more realistic, detailed experiences" in both mixed reality and virtual reality, Qualcomm said. It will also offer higher frequencies for both GPU and CPU by 15% and 20%, respectively.
Qualcomm said that Samsung (OTCPK:SSNLF) and Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) would use the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 in their respective upcoming mixed reality devices.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 04, 2024
Eli Lilly to offer obesity drugs online; hurts Weight Watchers, LifeMD
Shares of WW International (NASDAQ:WW) and LifeMD (NASDAQ:LFMD) fell Thursday after Eli Lilly (LLY) launched LillyDirect, a website to offer telehealth access and home delivery of drugs for conditions such as obesity and diabetes.
"LillyDirect offers more choices in how and where people access healthcare, including a convenient home delivery option to fill Lilly medicines they have been prescribed," LLY CEO David Ricks remarked.
Eli Lilly's (LLY) newly-approved weight loss medication, Zepbound, will also be available on the new website less than two months after the FDA approved the popular obesity therapy amid strong demand for its sister drug, Mounjaro.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 04, 2024
[Newsletter Exclusive] Holiday online shopping in 2023 reached new record - Adobe
Online shopping for the 2023 holiday season broke $222B, setting a new record.
The $222.1B spent at online retailers was a 4.9% year-over-year increase, according to data from Adobe Analytics.
More than half of that figure -- $123.5B -- was achieved in November, a 6% YoY increase. During Cyber Week alone -- the period between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday -- $38B online was spent, up 7.8% YoY.
In December, $98.6B was spent online, up 3.7% YoY.
Adobe Analytics also found that "buy now, pay later" payment option usage hit an all-time high, attributing for $16.6B in online spending, a 14% YoY increase.
Data also showed that major e-commerce categories saw greater discounts. For example, with electronics, discounts were as high as 31% off the retail price (vs 25% in 2022), and apparel at 24% (vs. 19%).
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 04, 2024
Aurora Innovation pushes ahead with Continental on autonomous trucking system to Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ:AUR) announced that it finalized design of the world's first scalable autonomous trucking system with its exclusive partner Continental. The companies finalized the design and architecture of the future fallback system and hardware of the Aurora Driver that Continental plans to start production of in 2027.
Aurora Driver is noted to be an SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Level 4 autonomous driving system.
The four-year partnership between Pittsburgh-based Aurora (AUR) and Continental to commercialize autonomous trucks at scale will start with a build and test process in 2024-2025 and a period of production and integration in 2026-2027.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Jan. 05, 2024
Opinion Pieces - Facts & Opinions - Long Reads
NextEra Energy: Blue Chip At Attractive Valuation
NextEra Energy is a utility sector giant that produces clean electricity through holdings in solar and wind energy. The company has over 6 million customer accounts, largely through its main business unit, Florida Power and Light, which has historically accounted for around 90% of its revenues.
(NEE has) underperformed the market by almost 30%. The reason for this drastic price action is the rapid change in interest rates spurred by the Fed's combat with inflation. The interest rate hiking cycle impacts utilities two-fold. Primarily, as yields rise, the marketplace for income investment becomes far more competitive, and demand for shares of dividend growth companies declines as the risk-free rate increases. Additionally, companies with significant amounts of debt payments to support their asset base, such as NEE, are hit again as interest expense balloons in reaction to the expansion of the fed funds rate.
NEE is a strong buy that is likely to see strong price action in 2024. Rate cuts will drive appreciation, and investors can comfortably hold a defensive blue chip with a market-beating dividend.
Link to Seeking Alpha Opinion Piece - Dec. 30, 2023
YouTube:
Wharton's Jermey Siegel says value stocks could rise 15% amid abnormal gap between growth and value
Link to YouTube Video (03:46 Mins) - Jan 2, 2024
Deepwater's Gene Munster: We're entering a three- to five-year tech bull market
Link to YouTube Video (05:48 Mins) - Jan 2, 2024
Compound & Friends
Fan favorites J. C. Parets and Joe Fahmy take us through where the markets are and why we are likely in a bull run - Full Video (01:42 Hours).
How To Read And Benefit From Sentiment Measures - Clip
Technicals Are Human Behavior On A Chart - Clip
CNBC Halftime Report - Jan 4th, 2024
(Between 04:45 & 07:38 on Google Podcasts) Josh Brown talks about how everything you hear on Wall Street may not apply to you. Most tactical calls are not for long term investors and it is important you don’t try to be too cute with your money.
Disclosure: We own positions in some/all of the tickers mentioned in this article.
