Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) – Some investors in Paramount Global are concerned about a potential merger with Skydance Media and are calling for a fair approach. Skydance, known for hits such as “Top Gun: Maverick,” is in exclusive talks. Four board members of Paramount Global have announced they will resign amid reports of merger talks with Skydance Media. This will reduce the board to seven directors, including Shari Redstone and CEO Robert Bakish. The departure of board members is seen as a precautionary measure to avoid litigation, and the deal could help the company pay off its debt.
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) – The wealth management arm of Morgan Stanley is under scrutiny from regulators, such as the SEC and the OCC, for allegations of lacking due diligence in identifying clients and monitoring financial activities. This means they are investigating whether the bank conducted an adequate investigation into who its clients are, the origin of their wealth, and how they are conducting their financial transactions. These investigations may also relate to international clients. In addition, Morgan Stanley has increased its commitment to children’s mental health to $50 million over five years. The Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children’s Mental Health funds nonprofits addressing youth mental health, including an educational center for marginalized children, in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics and Sesame Workshop.
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) – Amazon’s shares reached a new record on Thursday, rising 1.7% to close at $189.05. The company is now part of the elite group of tech giants, including Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia, which have reached all-time highs during the post-pandemic recovery. Analysts are optimistic about Amazon’s cost-cutting efforts and restructuring, seeing potential for increased profitability and free cash flow. Additionally, Amazon named Andrew Ng, a computer scientist known for his work in artificial intelligence at Alphabet and Baidu, to its board of directors. This occurs as Amazon faces competition in cloud and voice assistants. Andrew is also a professor at Stanford and an AI investor.
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) – Investors are optimistic about Alphabet’s AI strategy, with its shares approaching the record $2 trillion market cap. Despite recent stumbles, the company is rebounding, highlighting its AI growth potential to attract investors. Shares have risen 12% this year, fueled by advances in hardware and news about the possible adoption of Gemini technology by Apple. Despite this, some question the discount, arguing that Alphabet should focus on higher ROI. In other news, Epic Games is urging a federal judge in California to force Google to open its Play Store to more competition, following a jury’s conclusion that Google abused its power on the Android platform. The request, made to James Donato, aims to allow competing app stores for six years. Google has until May 3 to respond.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) – Apple is advancing in the production of M4 processors for computers, featuring AI capabilities. According to Bloomberg, Apple aims to upgrade all Mac models with these chips by the end of this year and early next year, including new iMacs, 14-inch MacBook Pros, and Mac minis. Apple’s shares jumped 4.3% on Thursday to $175.04, marking the stock’s best daily gain since May 5, 2023, when it rose 4.7%. Shares are down 0.4% in Friday’s pre-market.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) – Russian government-backed hackers exploited a Microsoft email system to steal correspondence between employees and the company. The US Cybersecurity Agency issued an emergency directive alerting about the breach, which also targeted government agencies. Microsoft is cooperating with the investigation.
HP Inc (NYSE:HPQ), Wex Inc (NYSE:WEX) – Wex Inc., a company specializing in payment processing and information management, has sued HP Inc. for trademark infringement, alleging misuse of the name “Wex” to brand competing software from HP, which could confuse customers.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) – Australian prosecutors have halted the criminal case of Andrew Forrest against Meta due to fraudulent cryptocurrency ads on Facebook using his image. Forrest, Australia’s second-richest person, claims these ads caused losses to investors. Despite this, he continues to pursue civil accountability in a separate case in California. Meta asserts its commitment to combating scams, while Forrest insists on his claims.
Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD), Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) – Advanced Micro Devices saw a 1.9% drop, while Intel fell 1.5% in Friday’s pre-market, in response to reports from the Wall Street Journal about the guidance of Chinese authorities for the country’s major telecom operators, instructing the gradual replacement of foreign processors.
Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) – A Goldman Sachs economist predicts that the Nigerian naira may continue its appreciation, following a 12% rise in April. Recent measures by the central bank, including interest rate hikes, have helped the currency recover. Goldman maintains a long-term projection for the naira at 1,200 per dollar.
UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS) – UBS may need to retain between $10 billion and $15 billion in excess capital, due to Swiss plans for stricter capital requirements. This could impact share buybacks. The government plans to finalize the plans by 2025.
Reddit (NYSE:RDDT) – Reddit’s first earnings report after its public offering will be on May 7. The company will involve users in the process, allowing questions in a subreddit. After an IPO in March, its shares soared 48% on the first day, mainly driven by advertising and data licensing deals.
Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT), Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) – Lyft and Uber will extend their services in Minneapolis until July 1. The decision follows the City Council’s vote to delay the wage increase for shared transport drivers from May to July, securing a minimum wage of $15.57 per hour.
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) – Lockheed Martin announced on Thursday it secured a contract of up to $4.1 billion from the US Missile Defense Agency to continue developing its battle command system, C2BMC-Next. This system is crucial for defense against ballistic missiles, with a focus on global integration. The contract spans from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2029, with an option to extend until April 30, 2034, and will involve upgrades at facilities in Huntsville, Alabama, and Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Spirit Aerosystems (NYSE:SPR) – The CEO of Airbus indicated that the company might take over two factories managed by Spirit Aerosystems in the US and the UK, as Boeing seeks to purchase one of its main suppliers. The final decision depends on Boeing’s actions, but Airbus (USOTC:EADSY) has significant influence.
Boeing (NYSE:BA) – The US Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing next week with members of a panel that criticized Boeing’s actions, seeking improvements in safety culture.
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) – Southwest Airlines is facing challenges due to reduced deliveries of Boeing aircraft, affecting its growth plans. Initially expected to receive 46 aircraft, they now anticipate about 20, as they deal with production delays and certification uncertainties. The company is reviewing strategies to mitigate the impacts.
Ford Motor (NYSE:F) – US safety investigators stated that a Ford Mustang Mach-E, equipped with the advanced driver assistance system “BlueCruise,” was involved in a rear-end collision with a stationary Honda CR-V on I-10 in San Antonio, Texas, on February 24, resulting in a fatal accident. The NTSB is investigating the incident, along with another similar accident in Philadelphia on March 3. Ford also announced on Thursday that it will begin shipping 144,000 redesigned F-150 and Ranger pickups to dealers in the US, after holding them back due to quality concerns. Additionally, Ford Motor has reduced the prices of some variants of the electric F-150 Lightning by up to $5,500, facing a competitive electric vehicle (EV) market. The XLT variant now costs $62,995, while the Lariat dropped 3.14% to $76,995. The Flash variant has a discount of $5,500, totaling $67,995.
Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:RIVN) – Rivian Automotive’s shares plummeted 6.8% to close at a record low on Thursday after Ford Motor announced price cuts for its electric vehicles F-150 Lightning.
VinFast (NASDAQ:VFS) – The Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, boosting its electric vehicle branch, faces growing financial risks due to the loss-making unit VinFast Auto. Dependence on domestic sales and financial support raises concerns. The company struggles to attract retail buyers and faces challenges in the global electric vehicle market.
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) – The CEO of Exxon Mobil, Darren Woods, received total compensation of $36.9 million for 2023, an increase of nearly 3%. The company recommended that investors vote against shareholder proposals, including emission reductions and additional reports on social and environmental issues.
Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) – A Brazilian judge has suspended the chairman of the Petrobras board, Pietro Sampaio Mendes, due to a conflict of interest with his role at the Ministry of Energy. The decision included the suspension of his salary payments and highlighted other alleged irregularities, as tensions persist over dividends withheld by the company.
AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) – Shareholders of AstraZeneca approved a salary policy for 2024, raising CEO Pascal Soriot’s remuneration to up to 18.9 million pounds this year. Over a third of investors opposed the package, reflecting concerns about salary disparities and global competitiveness.
Zumiez (NASDAQ:ZUMZ) – Shares of Zumiez have fallen more than 25% this year, but an executive of the company took the opportunity to acquire devalued shares. Adam Ellis, president of international operations, purchased 10,000 shares for $143,100, increasing his stake to 57,917 shares.
Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM) – Archer-Daniels-Midland announced on Thursday an expansion of the recall of 17 additional lots of feeds for poultry, pigs, and rabbits due to elevated levels of magnesium, sodium, calcium, and/or phosphorus, posing risks to the animals.
Nike (NYSE:NKE) – Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) now sees Nike’s estimates as achievable, upgrading its recommendation to ‘Buy’ after 3 years of ‘Neutral’ rating, and raising the target price for the shares from $110 to $113. The brand’s focus on innovation and reduction of styles may cause a temporary drop in sales but could strengthen its position in the long term.