Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) – At today’s Apple Developer Conference (WWDC 2024) kicking off today, the company will demonstrate its prowess in the advanced field of artificial intelligence. Despite being an early adopter of AI with products like Siri, Apple now faces a perception of trailing behind competitors following innovations like ChatGPT. Throughout the event, Apple will unveil significant AI improvements, including a new version of Siri and expanded functionalities for digital content processing.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) – Microsoft has decided to keep its new Recall feature, which logs user activities on PCs to streamline data organization, disabled by default. This decision comes after security concerns arose regarding the potential for hackers to access these logs. The company will also require additional authentication to activate the feature. Additionally, Microsoft showcased fully digital versions of the Xbox Series X and S consoles at the Xbox Games Showcase, along with game trailers like the new edition of “Call of Duty”. The event takes place amidst a period of sluggish sales and economic challenges in the gaming industry.
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) – Nvidia will commence trading at a lower price today following a 10-for-1 stock split. Wall Street remains bullish on Nvidia’s valuation increase, which has surged by 144% this year. Evercore analysts believe Nvidia could represent up to 15% of the S&P 500 in the future.
Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) – Morgan Stanley analysts downgraded AMD to neutral, citing elevated investor expectations for its AI segment, especially when compared to competitors like Nvidia and Broadcom. They see limited potential for upward revisions for AMD, despite a rebound in its core business and an anticipated increase in AI chip sales.
Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW) – Snowflake is encouraging its clients to implement stricter security controls, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), after hackers targeted customer accounts using malware and purchased credentials. This follows security incidents involving clients like Live Nation (NYSE) and Advanced Auto Parts (NYSE), raising concerns about data security in the cloud.
Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) – Oracle’s primary medical records client, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), reported that Oracle’s software is not improving patient care as expected. Less than 20% of VA physicians and nurses believe the software enables “high-quality care”. The VA is renegotiating its $16 billion contract with Oracle, which acquired Cerner in 2022, aiming to enhance the electronic medical records system.
Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) – Netflix plans to drive its next growth phase by investing in live events and sports, following the success of its ad-supported offering. The strategy, mirroring the traditional TV model, could propel stocks back to 2021 record highs, benefiting from increased visibility and advertising revenue potential.
Walmart (NYSE:WMT) – Walmart opposes New York’s new legislation requiring panic buttons in stores, arguing it may trigger too many false alarms. The law was passed to enhance retail worker safety in response to rising violence and thefts. In other related news, Walmart forecasts its US e-commerce business to be profitable within the next two years. The company is focused on cost reduction and order fulfillment, capitalizing on the 22% surge in online sales in the last quarter.
Yelp (NYSE:YELP) – Yelp may sue ReviewVio for falsely advertising that it can remove negative reviews from the Yelp website, alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition. Judge William Alsup in San Francisco allowed the lawsuit to proceed, highlighting potential confusion about the relationship between the companies and the impact on Yelp’s advertising services.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) – Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that there won’t be an updated version of the Model Y this year, despite ongoing improvements to vehicles. Upgrades to Tesla’s older models have been sluggish due to high interest rates and competition from more affordable models in China. Additionally, Tesla shareholders will soon vote on a controversial $56 billion compensation package for Elon Musk. With approximately 90% of retail shareholders seemingly in favor, approval seems likely despite opposition from major funds and recommendations against from proxy advisors. Norway’s $1.7 trillion sovereign wealth fund will vote against Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package at Tesla, after a judge deemed it unfair to shareholders. Tesla also argues that the legal team that nullified Elon Musk’s pay package in January deserves only a fraction of the $5.6 billion in fees sought, as the case brought little benefit to the company. The automaker proposes to pay $13.6 million for legal services.
Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) – Stellantis has preemptively expanded the recall of potentially faulty airbags in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East to include more Citroen, DS, and Opel models. The recall now covers Citroën C4, DS4, DS5 models, and some Opel vehicles, albeit less restrictive than the initial recall, which included Citroën C3 and DS3.
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV)- Elliott Investment Management, an activist investor, has acquired a nearly $2 billion stake in Southwest Airlines. They plan to press the airline for strategic changes to rectify its underperforming performance.
Spirit Airlines (NYSE:SAVE) – Spirit Airlines dismisses the possibility of bankruptcy and is optimistic about its plan following the failure of the merger with JetBlue (NASDAQ). CEO Ted Christie expressed this confidence at the annual shareholder meeting, despite a recent decline in the company’s shares and operational challenges, including aircraft groundings.
Boeing (NYSE:BA) – Boeing’s CST-Starliner space taxi successfully docked with the International Space Station, bringing its first astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore. This test flight is crucial for both NASA and Boeing, especially after multiple delays and technical setbacks.
Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) – Virgin Galactic successfully conducted its second spaceflight this year on Saturday, carrying Turkish, American, and Italian tourists to the edge of space. Galactic Mission 07 reached approximately 55 miles in altitude on a flight lasting just over an hour, departing and returning to Spaceport America in New Mexico.
BP plc (NYSE:BP) – BP updated its conflict of interest policy, requiring employees to disclose any intimate relationships with colleagues. The change follows the dismissal of former CEO Bernard Looney for failing to disclose such relationships, emphasizing total transparency to avoid conflicts of interest, under the threat of dismissal.
Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY), Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) – Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway acquired about 2.57 million shares of Occidental Petroleum from June 5 to 7, investing over $150 million. This raised its total stake in the company to approximately 250.6 million shares, representing about 28% of Occidental.
US Steel (NYSE:X) – Takahiro Mori, vice president of Nippon Steel, returned to the US to promote the acquisition proposal for US Steel, receiving positive feedback from employees and community leaders. Despite regulatory scrutiny and union opposition, the Japanese company aims to conclude the $14.9 billion merger, already approved outside the US.
Diamond Offshore Drilling (NYSE:DO), Noble Corporation (NYSE:NE) – Diamond Offshore Drilling has agreed to be acquired by Noble Corp. for approximately $1.6 billion in a cash and stock deal. Under the agreement, Diamond Offshore’s shares were valued at $15.52 based on Friday’s closing price. Diamond Offshore Drilling shares rose 4.6% in pre-market trading to $14.57.
CrowdStrike (NASDAQ:CRWD), KKR & Co (NYSE:KKR), GoDaddy (NYSE:GDDY) – S&P Dow Jones Indices announced that KKR & Co, CrowdStrike, and GoDaddy will be added to the S&P 500 index on June 24, replacing Robert Half (NYSE:RHI), Comerica (NYSE:CMA), and Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN).
Blackstone (NYSE:BX) – Nadeem Meghji, global co-head of Blackstone’s real estate sector, noted that liquidity is returning to the real estate market, with high-quality assets attracting more interest. He observed an increase in the number of bidders for apartment buildings, attributing this to falling capital costs and new supply.
KKR & Co (NYSE:KKR) – KKR & Co. invested $50 million in one of its main real estate funds and committed to supporting its valuation amidst commercial real estate market instability. The company also plans to repurchase up to 7.7 million shares if the fund’s valuation falls below $27 per share by 2027, ensuring value for shareholders and demonstrating confidence in the real estate market’s recovery.
PowerSchool Holdings (NYSE:PWSC), Bain Capital (NYSE:BCSF) – Bain Capital will acquire PowerSchool Holdings in a deal valuing the educational software company at $5.6 billion. Bain will pay $22.80 per share, a 37% premium over the previous closing price. Vista Equity and Onex will retain minority stakes post-acquisition.
Visa (NYSE:V), Mastercard (NYSE:MA)- Visa and Mastercard will face new lawsuits in London after a court allowed collective proceedings on behalf of merchants to proceed. The companies are accused of overcharging interchange fees, with many lawsuits already underway in London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Waystar (WAY) – Waystar shares fell on Friday in their Nasdaq debut after raising $968 million in their initial public offering, one of the largest IPOs of the year. The shares opened at $21, below the IPO price of $21.50, and closed at $20.70, valuing the company at $3.50 billion.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) – Walgreens Boots Alliance is considering an initial public offering for its Boots pharmacy network in the UK, while continuing sale negotiations. The company has informally discussed with potential buyers, including private equity firms, without yet making a final decision on Boots’ sale.
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) – A study by Stanford University found that a 15-day treatment with Pfizer’s antiviral Paxlovid did not alleviate long Covid symptoms. Despite hopes based on anecdotal reports, the study involving 155 participants showed no significant improvement in symptoms like fatigue and mental confusion.
Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) – Moderna announced that its combined Covid-19 and flu vaccine is more effective than individual vaccines, based on a late-stage trial. Being the first to release positive phase three data, the company plans to seek regulatory approval in the US soon, targeting a 2025 launch.
Express (NYSE:EXPR) – Express is selling its business for $160 million to a consortium including mall owners and investment firms. The sale, still open to better offers, also includes assuming $38 million in liabilities. This move averts the risk of liquidation and protects jobs and stores.
GameStop (NYSE:GME) – GameStop shares rose 6.6% in pre-market trading after closing down 39% on Friday, marking its worst day since February 4, 2021. This occurred despite Keith Gill, the infamous meme trader known as Roaring Kitty, scarcely mentioning GameStop in his live stream on Friday, although he reiterated his bullish stance on the company.