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AmTrust Financial Services Inc is a multinational company that underwrites and provides property and casualty insurance products. The company specializes in coverage for small to mid-sized businesses, with a philosophical focus on niche diversity and low-hazard risk. AmTrust's business model strives to achieve its profit goals through geographic and product diversification. The company reports three business segments: Small Commercial Business, Specialty Risk and Extended Warranty, and Specialty Program. The vast majority of revenues is derived from its Small Commercial Business risk.

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America&#8217;s increasing reliance on government debt has been labeled a &#8220;fatal flaw&#8221; by&nbsp;Ruchir Sharma, chair of&nbsp;Rockefeller International. He warns that this dependency is creating a massive economic bubble that is on the verge of bursting. 
What Happened: The &#8220;mother of all bubbles&#8221; in the U.S. economy, driven by excessive debt, is on the verge of bursting, according to&nbsp;Ruchir Sharma, chair of&nbsp;Rockefeller International. In a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9a0da0d6-92b4-4034-ac25-7b4abcbb0bbe">column</a>&nbsp;in the Financial Times, Sharma highlighted America&#8217;s growing dependency on government debt as a critical weakness. He noted that attempts to control this addiction could hinder economic growth and corporate earnings.
Sharma emphasized that while Wall Street celebrates strong earnings, these figures are less impressive when adjusted&nbsp;for government spending and the&nbsp;influence of major tech companies. He pointed out that &#8220;supernormal profits&#8221; often normalize due to competition. The current economic boost is partly due to unprecedented deficit spending, which inflates growth and profits artificially.
&#8220;But every hero has a fatal flaw. America's is its sharply increasing addiction to government debt,&#8221; he wrote.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42619049/celebrities-like-ellen-degeneres-david-beckham-and-simon-cowell-have-turned-englands-idyllic-cotswolds-into-a-list-mecca?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Celebrities Like Ellen DeGeneres, David Beckham And Simon Cowell Have Turned England&#8217;s Idyllic Cotswolds</a>
According to Sharma, U.S. public debt is nearing 100% of GDP, a level not seen since World War II. The cost of servicing this debt has surged, with interest expenses now reaching $1 trillion annually, surpassing defense spending. Despite the federal deficit, U.S. households and businesses maintain strong financial health, supporting the economy.
Sharma warned that next year, investors might demand higher interest rates or fiscal discipline, potentially reducing reliance on government spending and affecting growth. He also noted that other global economies could challenge America&#8217;s economic dominance, signaling an end to the current bubble.
Why It Matters: The warning from Sharma&nbsp;aligns with concerns raised by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/10/41495286/deficit-strain-in-washington-will-get-worse-imf-warns-national-debt-projections-rev">International Monetary Fund (IMF)</a>&nbsp;about the U.S. fiscal outlook. In October, the IMF projected a persistently high budget deficit and a national debt unlikely to stabilize by 2029. The Washington-based institution highlighted that both U.S. and Chinese debts have a low probability of stabilizing, underscoring the global implications of America&#8217;s fiscal policies. 
Meanwhile, SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) which tracks the S&amp;P 500, has increased 25.07% in terms of year-to-date (YTD) returns while that of Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose by 28.83%, as of Monday pre-market hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
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Analyst Color

Equities

News

Markets

General

America's 'Fatal Flaw' Is Its 'Sharply Increasing Addiction' To Government Debt, Says Expert And The 'Mother Of All Bubbles' Is Ready To Pop

In a groundbreaking development,&nbsp;Botto, an AI-powered artist, has successfully generated over $5 million through the auction of its digital artworks since 2021. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the intersection of technology and art.
What Happened: Botto, a &#8220;decentralized autonomous artist,&#8221; has been making waves in the art world. Developed&nbsp;by software collective ElevenYellow and&nbsp;German artist&nbsp;Mario Klingemann, Botto creates images based on algorithmic prompts, initially using random words and symbols. Each week, it generates approximately 70,000 images, presenting 350 to the BottoDAO community for voting, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/23/botto-the-ai-machine-artist-making-millions-of-dollars.html">reported</a>&nbsp;on Monday.
The BottoDAO, comprising around 5,000 members, selects one image weekly to be sold on the SuperRare NFT platform. Voting is free, but purchasing Botto tokens grants additional voting points, increasing influence on Botto&#8217;s creative output. Half of the auction proceeds are shared among voters, while the rest funds Botto&#8217;s operations. Notably, Botto&#8217;s value has soared, with two early images fetching $276,000 at a recent Sotheby&#8217;s auction, despite initial reserve prices of $13,000 to $15,000.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42609769/elon-musk-is-a-legendary-entrepreneur-but-also-a-bully-says-openai-ceo-sam-altman-now-its-me-its-been-bezos-gates-zuckerberg-lots-of-other-people?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk A Legendary Entrepreneur But Also A Bully, Says OpenAI CEO Sam Altman: &#8216;Now It&#8217;s Me, It&#8217;s Been&nbsp;Bezos, Gates, Zuckerberg, Lots Of Other People&#8217;</a>
Klingemann predicts that AI will soon surpass human creativity in art, with Botto&#8217;s success challenging traditional notions of authorship and emphasizing the collaborative nature of art creation.
Why It Matters: The rise of AI-generated art has sparked significant debate within the art community. In February, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/24/02/37398914/the-4-700-artist-ai-controversy-artists-accuse-midjourney-and-other-ai-firms-of-unauthorized-use-in">lawsuit&nbsp;highlighted concern</a>s over the unauthorized use of copyrighted works by AI art generator companies, including Midjourney and Stability AI. This legal battle underscores the need for regulation in the rapidly evolving AI-generated art space.
Additionally, artists have taken measures to protect their work from unauthorized AI usage. In January 2024, a tool called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36712239/turning-ai-against-itself-nightshade-is-a-free-ai-poisoning-tool-that-aims-to-protect-artists">Nightshade&nbsp;was introduced</a>, employing &#8220;data poisoning&#8221; to make copyrighted images irreproducible by AI image generators. This development highlights the ongoing tension between technological innovation and artistic integrity.
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42569744/apple-reportedly-in-talks-with-tencent-tiktok-parent-bytedance-to-roll-out-ai-features-in-china?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Reportedly In Talks With Tencent, TikTok-Parent ByteDance To Roll Out AI Features In China</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock

Tech

This AI Artist Generates $5M Through Digital Art Auctions

Japanese automakers Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HMC#NYSE">HMC</a>) and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NSANY#OTC">NSANY</a>) have started talks for a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42541842/japanese-auto-giants-nissan-honda-eye-merger-says-nikkei">potential merger</a>, the two companies said on Monday.
What Happened: Nissan and Honda are planning to establish a joint holding company that will serve as the parent company for both Nissan and Honda. 
The joint holding parent company will be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Nissan and Honda will subsequently be delisted. The listing of the joint holding company is scheduled for August 2026.
The two companies aim to wrap up talks by June 2025. 
With the merger, the companies aim to increase sales revenue to more than 30 trillion Japanese Yen (approx. $191.34 billion) and to increase operating profits by more than 3 trillion yen.
Why It Matters: "Creation of new mobility value by bringing together the resources including knowledge, talents, and technologies that Honda and Nissan have been developing over the long years is essential to overcome challenging environmental shifts that the auto industry is facing,&#8221;&nbsp;Honda Director and Representative Executive Officer Toshihiro Mibe said. 
&#8220;We are still at the stage of starting our review, and we have not decided on a business integration yet&#8230;,&#8221; he added. 
Mitsubishi Motors is also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/12/42545185/nissan-soar-over-20-on-merger-talks-with-honda-eyeing-8-million-annual-vehicle-sales">considering joining the merger</a>, the companies said, while adding that the smaller company is aiming to conclude whether it will participate by the end of January.
Nissan is a shareholder in Mitsubishi Motors.
The integration of the companies will mark the biggest merger in global auto history since Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/21/01/18991944/worlds-4th-largest-automaker-set-to-take-shape-monday">merged in 2021 to create</a> Stellantis NV.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42640472/tesla-exec-bemoans-cost-of-sending-letter-to-owners-affected-by-ev-giants-recent-recall-of-nearly-700000-vehicles">Tesla Exec Bemoans Cost Of Sending Letter To Owners Affected By EV Giant&#8217;s Recent Recall Of Nearly 700,000 Vehicles</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Global

NSANY

Japanese Automakers Honda, Nissan Start Merger Talks: Mitsubishi Motors Considers Joining

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ("Honda") and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., ("Nissan"; Honda and Nissan are collectively referred to as the "Companies") have agreed to begin discussions and consideration toward a business integration (the "Business Integration") and have resolved at the boards of directors of each of the Companies to sign a memorandum of understanding regarding the consideration of the Business Integration, which has been duly executed
&nbsp;
<a href="https://global.honda/en/investors/library/filings/filings2024122301/main/0/link/CY2024_20241223_TSEfling_e_1_v1.pdf" title="https://global.honda/en/investors/library/filings/filings2024122301/main/0/link/CY2024_20241223_TSEfling_e_1_v1.pdf">https://global.honda/en/investors/library/filings/filings2024122301/main/0/link/CY2024_20241223_TSEfling_e_1_v1.pdf</a>

Honda, Nissan Earlier Announced Talks On Potential Business Integration; Honda, Nissan: Plan to Sign Definitive Merger Agreement in June 2025

The Future Fund Managing Partner Gary Black on Sunday said that a majority of Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) car owners will likely not want to put their cars into the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/tesla-robotaxi">company&#8217;s robotaxi fleet</a>.
What Happened: &#8220;What % of Tesla owners would accept a stream of payouts from Tesla for deploying their cars in a TSLA robotaxi network to move people/luggage around every day?&#8221; Black posted on social media platform X while opining that over 50% will likely not want to rent their cars to Tesla&#8217;s robotaxi fleet.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk expects his company&#8217;s robotaxi fleet to function like a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38396288/teslas-robotaxi-to-be-called-cybercab-elon-musk-says-self-driving-fleet-will-be-like-combination-of" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">combination of Airbnb and Uber</a>. While a certain portion of the fleet will be owned by Tesla, individual customers can also add or subtract their vehicles to the robotaxi fleet at will for added earnings. As for riders, they can summon a car using the Tesla App, Musk said during the company's second-quarter earnings call in July. 
If Tesla charged $1 for every mile on a robotaxi ride and gave a 75% payout to car owners and every car had 25 trips every day with every trip being roughly 6 miles long, car owners could make roughly $40,000 per year by simply renting their car to the fleet, Black said while retaining his pessimism for users not wanting to rent their cars to the company fleet. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">What % of Tesla owners would accept a stream of payouts from Tesla for deploying their cars in a TSLA robotaxi network to move people/luggage around every day? At 25 trips/day x 6 miles/trip x $1/mile x 75% payout, let's assume a TSLA owner could make $40K per year by renting…
&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1870855355229438099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Black is not alone in his doubts regarding Musk&#8217;s vision for his robotaxi fleet. In August, Uber Technologies Inc. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40299293/uber-ceo-dara-khosrowshahi-doubts-teslas-robotaxi-fleet-management-plans-but-maintains-hope-for-part">expressed doubts</a> about whether a car owner is going to want his car to be ridden in by a complete stranger. Tesla drivers will also likely want their car at the time when ridership is high, creating trouble in meeting demand, he said on an episode of The Logan Bartlett Show.
Building cars and operating a taxi fleet are "very very different" businesses, the Uber CEO then noted. While running a fleet, the company has to match people with their rides, and price the rides economically while also addressing other concerns like people getting sick in a car, losing items, or getting involved in accidents, he said.
Why It Matters: Tesla CEO&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;said during Tesla's third-quarter earnings call that the company expects to start a ride-hail service in Texas and California starting next year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41484511/palo-alto-may-open-streets-to-tesla-robotaxis-but-california-regulators-will-decide-fate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subject to regulatory approval</a>, with self-driving Model 3 and Model Y vehicles equipped with future versions of its full self-driving (FSD) driver assistance technology. While FSD currently requires active driver supervision, Musk and Tesla are hopeful that it can enable autonomous driving with future updates.
However, the vehicles might not all operate as driverless robotaxis initially in California and Texas but with a driver as some states demand it until the company touches certain milestones in terms of miles and hours driven, the company then said.
Last week, Bloomberg reported that Tesla is in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42575664/tesla-reportedly-in-talks-with-austin">early discussions with authorities in the city of Austin</a>, Texas, to roll out its&nbsp;autonomous vehicles for testing&nbsp;as early as 2025.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
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</ul>
Photo courtesy: Tesla

TSLA

Tesla Analyst Estimates Vehicle Owners Can Make $40,000 A Year By Renting EVs To Robotaxi Fleet That Elon Musk Likened To A Combination Of Airbnb And Uber, But Will It Take Off?

Leading Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) analysts Dan Ives and Gary Black revealed stark differences in their valuation approaches during a recent &#8220;Brighter with Herbert&#8221; show appearance, even as both remain bullish on the electric vehicle maker&#8217;s prospects.
What Happened: Ives, Managing Director at Wedbush Securities, maintains the Street&#8217;s highest price target of $515 with a bull case of $650, citing potential revenues from autonomous robotaxis and the company&#8217;s Optimus robot project. He projects Tesla&#8217;s earnings at $15 per share by 2030.
&#8220;The Tesla story changes because everything we looked at with robotaxi gets accelerated,&#8221; Ives <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgFLEO4UiJ8">said</a>, estimating autonomous vehicles could capture 20% of ride-shares by decade&#8217;s end. He values Tesla&#8217;s autonomous business alone at $1 trillion.
In contrast, Black, Managing Partner at The Future Fund LLC, takes a more conservative approach with a $380 target, well above the Street average of $275. Black forecasts $17 earnings per share by 2030 but excludes robotaxi and Optimus revenue from his calculations.
&#8220;Even if I assume Tesla took 25% of ride-sharing market share, that only adds about a dollar per share in earnings,&#8221; Black explained, noting his use of higher risk adjustments in Tesla&#8217;s valuation given its volatility.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42640010/palantir-and-anduril-reportedly-lead-consortium-partner-with-spacex-and-openai-to-compete-against-traditional-defense-contractors-in-850-billion-us-military-market">Palantir And Anduril Reportedly Lead Consortium, Partner With SpaceX And OpenAI To Compete Against Traditional Defense Contractors In $850 Billion US Military Market</a>
Why It Matters: The valuation debate comes as Tesla&#8217;s stock has surged nearly 71% year-to-date, recently crossing the symbolic $420 level that CEO Elon Musk referenced in his controversial 2018 &#8220;funding secured&#8221; tweet. Morgan Stanley has named Tesla its top stock pick for 2025, citing the company&#8217;s advances in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42452806/teslas-red-hot-stock-meets-meme-magic-420-level-musk-celebrates-the-prophecy-analysts-react">autonomy and robotics</a>.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1026872652290379776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Both analysts expressed optimism about Tesla&#8217;s planned entry into the compact car segment, with Black suggesting a $25,000-$30,000 hatchback could expand Tesla&#8217;s market reach similar to how the Model Y boosted its presence in the crossover segment.
Tesla has a consensus target of $280.41 from 33 analysts, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA/analyst-ratings">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. The high is $515, and the low is $24.86. Recent ratings from Baird, Mizuho, and Goldman Sachs give an average target of $446.67, implying a 3.05% upside.
Year-to-date, the Tesla stock has gained 69.50%.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA/analyst-ratings"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23043001/Screenshot-2024-12-23-at-2.58.00%E2%80%AFPM-1024x371.png" alt="" class="wp-image-703695" style="width:684px;height:auto" /></a></figure>
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Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

TSLA Stock Valuation Duel: Dan Ives Bets Big On Robotaxis While Gary Black Plays It Safe

<a href="https://x.com/KeilafOmer/status/1870878159782174735" title="https://x.com/KeilafOmer/status/1870878159782174735">https://x.com/KeilafOmer/status/1870878159782174735</a>

INVZ

Innoviz Technologies CEO Omer Keilaf Tweeted Sunday,  "...we wanted to give you heads up towards a big announcement we are going to share tomorrow pre-market"

Himax Technologies, Inc. ("Himax" or "Company") (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIMX#NASDAQ">HIMX</a>), an industry leader in fabless display driver ICs and other semiconductors, today announced that the Company and its AI ecosystem partners will unveil a suite of innovative, production-ready AIoT applications at CES 2025, powered by Himax's groundbreaking ultralow power WiseEye Module solutions. These designs will showcase intuitive, user-friendly AI capabilities set to transform multiple industries by improving productivity, scalability, automation, and efficiency, all while delivering better performance and lower power consumption. Himax's ultralow power WiseEye Module solutions are leading the AIoT revolution with their advanced, efficient, and scalable AI-driven technologies.
The Himax WiseEye Module seamlessly integrates ultralow power WiseEye AI processors and proprietary always-on CMOS sensors, designed with compact form factors, high integration, and plug-and-play functionality. Characterized by remarkably low power consumption at just single-digit milliwatts, it is ideal for battery-powered endpoint devices that cater to everyday life. The WiseEye Module incorporates versatile AI models from in-house or third-party partners, enabling no-code/low-code AI development for use cases like people counting, gesture recognition, human detection, face recognition, and audio command classification. This simplifies the AI development process, reducing cost and time, allowing AI developers, even those with limited AI expertise, to easily integrate advanced AI features into their systems and applications. Given their versatility, WiseEye Modules are poised to become foundational technology for a wide range of IoT applications.
At the event, a visionary and innovative lineup of ultralow power WiseEye Module solutions will be on display, showcasing their potential to revolutionize AI-powered applications across industries.

HIMX

Himax To Showcase AI-Powered Smart Tech Revolution at CES 2025

Smith &amp; Wesson Brands Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SWBI#NASDAQ">SWBI</a>) faces increased legal scrutiny as Mexico&#8217;s landmark lawsuit against U.S. gun manufacturers reaches a critical juncture at the Supreme Court, potentially creating new liability risks for the firearms industry.
What Happened: The lawsuit, filed in 2021, alleges that Smith &amp; Wesson and other defendants enabled gun trafficking to Mexican drug cartels through their business practices. According to ATF data <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/guns-from-us-ending-up-in-mexico-60-minutes/">reviewed</a> by CBS News, an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 U.S. firearms are smuggled into Mexico annually, with 75% of confiscated weapons originating from the United States.
The case challenges traditional liability protections enjoyed by gun manufacturers under U.S. law. Mexico&#8217;s legal strategy, spearheaded by attorney Jonathan Lowy, argues that manufacturers are &#8220;aiding and abetting&#8221; gun trafficking by continuing to supply dealers with questionable sales patterns.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42640010/palantir-and-anduril-reportedly-lead-consortium-partner-with-spacex-and-openai-to-compete-against-traditional-defense-contractors-in-850-billion-us-military-market">Palantir And Anduril Reportedly Lead Consortium, Partner With SpaceX And OpenAI To Compete Against Traditional Defense Contractors In $850 Billion US Military Market</a>
Why It Matters: Smith &amp; Wesson has denied the allegations as &#8220;not true.&#8221; The firearms industry has petitioned the Supreme Court, arguing that allowing such lawsuits could subject manufacturers to costly litigation from foreign entities attempting to influence U.S. gun control policies.
The lawsuit&#8217;s scope extends beyond manufacturers to include five Arizona-based gun dealers. Internal ATF documents revealed that 566 guns recovered in Mexico over a four-and-a-half-year period were traced to these dealers, with nearly 200 coming from a single retailer near Phoenix.
Aside from the Mexico lawsuit, Smith &amp; Wesson has also faced challenging market conditions weighing on its earnings &#8211; the company attributed its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40748035/smith-wesson-brands-reports-downbeat-results-joins-planet-labs-pbc-broadcom-and-other-big-stocks-mov">weaker second-quarter earnings</a> to inflationary pressures impacting consumers&#8217; spending.
Price Action: Smith &amp; Wesson Brands Inc. closed on Friday at $10.04, declining 1.47%. Over the past month, the stock has dropped 27.1%, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
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Image via Wikimedia Commons
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

SWBI

Smith & Wesson's Fate Hangs In The Balance As Supreme Court Weighs Mexico's Gun Trafficking Lawsuit: SWBI Stock Down 27% Over Past Month, Here's What's Next

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some easing in the fear level, with the index moving to the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Friday.
U.S. stocks settled higher on Friday, with the Dow Jones index surging almost 500 points during the session.
Even as the major indices recorded gains on Friday, all three averages fell last week. The Dow dipped around 2.3% to record its third losing week in a row. The S&amp;P 500 declined about 2%, while the Nasdaq Composite fell around 1.8% last week.
On the economic data front, the U.S. personal consumption expenditures price index rose 0.1% month-over-month in November down from 0.2% in each of the prior two months and compared to market estimates of 0.2%. The University of Michigan consumer sentiment rose to 74 in December, recording the highest level since April, versus a reading of 71.8 in November.
Carnival Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCL#NYSE">CCL</a>) reported better-than-expected earnings for its fourth quarter on Friday.
All sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with utilities, real estate, and information technology stocks recording the biggest gains on Friday.
The Dow Jones closed higher by around 498 points to 42,840.26 on Friday. The S&amp;P 500 rose 1.09% to 5,930.85, while the Nasdaq Composite surged 1.03% to close at 19,572.60 during Friday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from Limoneira Company (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMNR#NASDAQ">LMNR</a>), Bridgeline Digital, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLIN#NASDAQ">BLIN</a>), and Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVXL#NASDAQ">AVXL</a>) today.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
At a current reading of 28.1, the index moved to the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Friday, versus a prior reading of 21.9.
The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
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</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Pre-Market Outlook

AVXL

BLIN

LMNR

Dow Jumps Around 500 Points But Records 3rd Straight Weekly Loss: Greed Index Moves To 'Fear' Zone

Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) CEO, has bet heavily on the tech giant, which accounts for more than 80% of his investment portfolio. The result? His approach has paid off handsomely.
What Happened: In a Q&amp;A <a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/steve-ballmer-the-non-investing-guru-of-investing-b0058c11">with</a> The Wall Street Journal that was published on Sunday, Ballmer shared that over 80% of his holdings are tied to his former company, Microsoft, with the remainder invested in stock index funds.
He attributes his financial success to Microsoft&#8217;s strong performance, particularly after the AI boom sparked by Microsoft-backed OpenAI&#8217;s ChatGPT in November 2022.
"Microsoft's outperformed just about every other asset I could have owned," he stated, adding, "It's a little hard to say that it hasn't worked out."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42608964/samsung-one-ui-6-1-1-update-is-turning-this-galaxy-series-phones-into-paperweights-bricking-random-reboots-and-overheating-reported?itm_source=parsely-api">Samsung One UI 6.1.1 Update Is Turning This Galaxy Series Phones Into Paperweights: Bricking, Random Reboots And Overheating Reported</a>
Ballmer <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42638406/tech-titans-triumph-the-top-10-billionaires-who-made-big-gains-in-2024">holds a 4.5% stake in Microsoft</a>. Since 2020 till now, Microsoft has returned an average of 28.37% annually, significantly outperforming the S&amp;P 500's average return of around 11.08%.
When Ballmer was asked if his strategy applies to everyday investors, he said, &#8220;I'd suggest keeping it simple—unless you're truly committed to becoming an expert.&#8221;
Microsoft currently has a market capitalization of $3.346 trillion, making it the third most valuable company in the world. According to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">data from Benzinga Pro</a>, Microsoft shares have risen by 17.72% year-to-date.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Ballmer&#8217;s strategy is influenced by Warren Buffett, who recommends S&amp;P 500 index funds <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/10/41252767/warren-buffetts-timeless-advice-is-to-invest-in-stocks-that-youd-be-perfectly-happy-to-hold-if-the-m">for retail investors</a>.
Now worth $151 billion, according <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/">to</a> the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Ballmer also has a significant investment in the Los Angeles Clippers, which has appreciated since his $2 billion purchase in 2014, now <a href="https://www.forbes.com/teams/los-angeles-clippers/">valued</a> at $5.5 billion.
Earlier this year, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39588200/bill-gates-hired-steve-ballmer-as-the-first-business-manager-at-microsoft-and-now-is-behind-him-">Ballmer&#8217;s wealth briefly surpassed</a> that of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. However, at the time of writing, Gates is at number seven on the list with a net worth of $160 billion, ahead of Ballmer.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42609242/marques-brownlee-breaks-down-how-googles-ai-video-generator-veo2-outpaces-openais-sora?itm_source=parsely-api">Marques Brownlee Breaks Down How Google&#8217;s AI Video Generator Veo2 Outpaces OpenAI&#8217;s Sora</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Microsoft

Media

MSFT

Steve Ballmer's Winning Investment Strategy: Billionaire Says 'Keep It Simple' As His Microsoft Bet Pays Off Thanks To AI Boom

Goldman Sachs analyst Allen Chang initiates coverage on Pony AI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PONY#NASDAQ">PONY</a>) with a Buy rating and announces Price Target of $19.6.

Price Target

Initiation

Analyst Ratings

PONY

Goldman Sachs Initiates Coverage On Pony AI with Buy Rating, Announces Price Target of $19.6

&nbsp;Alvotech (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALVO#NASDAQ">ALVO</a>), a global biotech company specializing in the development and manufacture of biosimilar medicines for patients worldwide, today announced that its stock will be added to the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NBI#NASDAQ">NBI</a>). The addition comes as a part of the annual reconstitution of the index. Alvotech's inclusion in the NBI will be effective when the U.S. market opens on Monday, December 23, 2024.

Government

Regulations

ALVO

Alvotech Joins Nasdaq Biotech Index, Effective Today

As the largest publicly traded dedicated non-operator, NOG has a large pipeline of acquisition opportunities and the Company frequently sends expressions of interest to acquire assets or businesses in order to evaluate and conduct due diligence on potential opportunities. Many of these requests to conduct diligence are rejected. The Company is not currently engaged in formal negotiations to acquire Granite Ridge.

Reported Friday, NOG Addressed Speculation On Granite Ridge Acquisition, Confirms No Formal Negotiations

With U.S. stock futures trading higher this morning on Monday, some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are as follows:
<ul>
<li>Wall Street expects Limoneira Company (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMNR#NASDAQ">LMNR</a>) to report a quarterly loss at 7 cents per share on revenue of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/LMNR/earnings">$42.45 million after</a> the closing bell, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>. Limoneira shares gained 2% to $26.83 in after-hours trading.</li>
<li>Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>) bagged a key win in its legal battle against semiconductor design company Arm Holdings Plc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>). A federal jury in Delaware ruled that Qualcomm did not violate its licensing agreement with Arm, clearing a hurdle for the San Diego, California-<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42633922/qualcomm-bags-win-in-chips-licensing-trial-against-arm-but-the-battle-is-not-over-yet">headquartered chipmaker</a>. Qualcomm shares gained 1.9% to $155.72 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
<li>Analysts expect Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVXL#NASDAQ">AVXL</a>) to post a quarterly loss at 16 cents per share before the opening bell. Anavex Life Sciences shares gained 0.2% to $8.65 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
</ul>
Check out our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/">premarket coverage here</a>
<ul>
<li>Brenmiller Energy Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BNRG#NASDAQ">BNRG</a>) shares rose sharply in after-hours trading on Friday after the company said it was awarded ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification. Brenmiller Energy shares surged 12% to $0.8440 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
<li>Analysts expect Bridgeline Digital Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLIN#NASDAQ">BLIN</a>) to post a quarterly loss at 5 cents per share on revenue of $3.87 million after the closing bell. Bridgeline Digital shares fell 0.7% to $1.48 in after-hours trading.</li>
</ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/12/42616196/jim-cramer-likes-walmart-recommends-buying-this-very-very-good-financial-stock">Jim Cramer Likes Walmart, Recommends Buying This &#8216;Very, Very Good&#8217; Financial Stock</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Earnings

Trading Ideas

BNRG

QCOM

Qualcomm, Limoneira And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Monday

SGML

Reported Friday, Sigma Lithium Secures Unanimous Approval For Triple Environmental License At Barreiro Mine

Fund manager Stephen Yiu of Blue Whale Growth Fund has forecasted that&nbsp;Broadcom Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) will yield substantial returns for investors by 2025, potentially surpassing AI chip heavyweight&nbsp;Nvidia Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>).
What Happened: Yiu said that tech giants like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Google LLC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) are looking to broaden their AI chip supplier base. Despite their substantial purchases of Nvidia&#8217;s GPUs, these companies are now also creating their own custom chips for AI applications, CNBC<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/23/-the-next-nvidia-broadcom-is-the-ai-chip-stock-to-own-in-2025-investor-says.html"> reported</a> on Monday.
Yiu sees Broadcom as&nbsp;the next Nvidia in terms&nbsp;of potential outperformance, thanks to its strong partnerships with major tech firms. 
&#8220;Nvidia's&nbsp;GPUs are very powerful, but&nbsp;at the same time also&nbsp;very expensive,&#8221; Yiu noted. &#8220;From&nbsp;Microsoft's perspective, you don't want&nbsp;to become overly dependent on&nbsp;one single supplier.&#8221;
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42624559/warren-buffett-says-a-surge-in-people-doing-big-dumb-things-is-tied-to-historically-easy-access-to-other-peoples-money?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warren Buffett Says A Surge In People Doing &#8216;Big Dumb Things&#8217; Is Tied To Historically Easy Access To Other People&#8217;s Money</a>
Broadcom&#8217;s year to date returns have climbed 103.42% this year, as of Monday pre-market hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>. It hit a market cap of over $1 trillion after announcing that its AI revenue&nbsp;tripled to $12.2 billion in&nbsp;2024. The company is working&nbsp;with three major cloud computing&nbsp;customers, Meta, Alphabet, and ByteDance, to develop custom AI chips.
Despite still holding an investment in Nvidia, Yiu has significantly cut it from nearly 10% of his fund's portfolio. He views Broadcom as a more attractive investment opportunity due to its smaller size. 
&#8220;For&nbsp;a $1 trillion company to&nbsp;grow 50% to become $1.5&nbsp;trillion is reasonable. But for&nbsp;Nvidia to do that, they&nbsp;would need to add another&nbsp;$1.5 trillion, which is a&nbsp;very big number,&#8221; he elaborated.
Why It Matters: Broadcom&#8217;s CEO Hock Tan has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42613368/broadcom-expects-decade-long-ai-chip-boom-as-big-tech-invest-billions">expressed strong confidence</a> in the sustainability of the AI boom. Big tech companies like Google, Meta, and ByteDance are investing heavily in designing custom processors to accelerate the training and deployment of AI systems. Even OpenAI and Apple have partnered with Broadcom to develop their AI server chips, diversifying their exposure to Nvidia.
Kurv Investment Management&#8217;s CEO Howard Chan recently mentioned that chipmakers like <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42600155/exclusive-nvidia-broadcom-tipped-to-dominate-ai-compute-wave-by-kurv-ceo">Nvidia and Broadcom </a>are leading the AI wave. He noted that demand is outstripping supply in this sector, benefiting chipmakers and cloud computing service providers.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), known for her active stock market investments as a member of Congress, disclosed in June that she had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40692177/whats-going-on-with-broadcom-shares-today" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">acquired call options on Broadcom. </a>These options, adjusted to a strike price of $80 after a 10-for-1 stock split, are set to expire in June 2025.
Pelosi, a widely followed Congressional trader, has drawn <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40692177/whats-going-on-with-broadcom-shares-today">significant attention to her stock holdings,</a> inspiring dedicated Pelosi portfolio trackers. 
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Image via Shutterstock

AMZN

AVGO

GOOGL

NVDA

Is This Nancy Pelosi's Stock Pick Set To Overtake Nvidia? AI Chip Race To Heat Up By 2025 As Meta And Microsoft Look Beyond Jensen Huang's Chip Maker, Says Expert

<h3>Companies Reporting Before The Bell</h3>
• Anavex Life Sciences (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVXL#NASDAQ">AVXL</a>) is expected to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
<h3>Companies Reporting After The Bell</h3>
• Bridgeline Digital (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLIN#NASDAQ">BLIN</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.01 per share on revenue of $3.87 million. 
• Limoneira (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMNR#NASDAQ">LMNR</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.07 per share on revenue of $42.45 million. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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