Latest news for Achari Ventures Hldgs (OTC:AVHIU) Stock

Achari Ventures Holdings Corp I is a blank check company.

Cannabis

News

IPOs

Markets

AVHIU

The newest cannabis special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Achari Ventures Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: AVHIU) went public Friday. The company priced its initial public offering of 10 million units at $10.00 per unit.

Cannabis SPAC Achari Ventures Goes Public, Pricing Its IPO At $100M

Small Business

Press Releases

Full-service, turn-key cannabis gift card and marketing solutions provider, Birchmount Network, announced it closed a $2.5M seed round led by Achari Ventures (NASDAQ: AVHIU) with participation from WGD Capital, Poseidon Asset Management and the Arcview Group.

Cannabis Gift Card Provider, Birchmount Network, Closes $2.5M Seed Funding Round

Achari Ventures Holdings Corp I Units (1 Ord Share & 1 War)

Achari Ventures Holdings Corp I

Baird analyst Timothy Wojs initiates coverage on AAON (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAON#NASDAQ">AAON</a>) with a Neutral rating and announces Price Target of $100.

Price Target

Initiation

Analyst Ratings

AAON

Baird Initiates Coverage On AAON with Neutral Rating, Announces Price Target of $100

Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) reported<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/07/39917921/alphabet-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-innovation-at-every-layer-of-the-ai-stack-and-more"> second-quarter earnings and revenue that exceeded expectations</a> but some key metrics trailed, including YouTube ad revenue, came to light. Management comments on the margin trajectory also did not augur well with investors, sending the stock down in after-hours trading.
Munster&#8217;s Key Earnings Takeaways: Deepwater Asset Management&#8217;s Gene Munster noted that Search business revenue climbed 14% year-over-year, the same rate as in the first quarter, and Cloud revenue growth accelerated slightly from 28% to 29%. YouTube ad revenue climbed 13% but at a slower pace than the 21% growth reported for the first quarter.
He noted that the capex was $13.19 billion, terming it as good news as the company builds out its artificial intelligence future.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-artificial-intelligence-stocks">Top Performing Artificial Intelligence Stocks</a>
Earnings Call takeaways: Ahead of the earnings, the tech venture capitalist listed the following as key focus areas on the call and here are the key takeaways on each of these:
SGE Traction: Munster sees Search Generative Experience (SGE) expanding the universe of queries, Munster said. &#8220;I believe Sundar is correct that SGE will expand the number of queries and ultimately create new monetization opportunities that more than offset the lost traditional search revenue.&#8221; 
On the call, the CEO said with AI, Search delivered better responses on more types of search queries and introduced new ways to search.
&#8220;We are pleased to see the positive trends from our testing continue as we roll out AI Overviews, including increases in Search usage and increased user satisfaction with the results,&#8221; Pichai said. He also noted higher engagement from younger users, aged 18-24 years when using Search With AI Overviews.
CapEx: Ahead of the results, Munster said he expected CapEx to grow somewhere between 70% and 80% in 2024, with the company likely exiting 2024 at about $60 billion compared to $32 billion in 2023. CFO Ruth Porat said on the call that the second-quarter capex was $13 billion, driven by investment in the company&#8217;s technical infrastructure, primarily in servers followed by data centers. She also sees quarterly capex to be roughly at or above the first-quarter level of $12 billion, with the low-end estimates suggesting capex of at least $49 billion for the rest of the year.
Following the call, Munster said he expects analysts to bump up CapEx estimates by 50-55%, up from the previous expectations of 45%. &#8220;Ultimately, I believe they&#8217;ll grow CapEx at +70% because if they don&#8217;t, they run the risk of losing their grip on the future,&#8221; he added.
Macro state of the ad market: &#8220;Google is a bellwether for anything advertising-related, especially Meta Platform, Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) business,&#8221; Munster said, adding that it is also a general read on the state of the economy. Alphabet noted on the call that there has been a shift in brand advertising budgets from linear TV to YouTube. &#8220;Our largest advertisers across verticals, including retail, entertainment, telco, and home and personal care, are partnering with creators on ads and organic integrations,&#8221; it said.
The company attributed the 14% growth in Google Search and other advertising revenue to growth in retail followed by the financial services vertical.&nbsp;Ahead of the results, Wedbush&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39884110/alphabet-set-to-report-strong-q2-results-with-increased-search-revenue-analyst-bull">Daniel Ives modeled 12.8% growth for the business.</a>
Alphabet said, &#8220;As we look forward to the third quarter, we will be lapping the increasing strength in advertising revenues in the second half of 2023, in part from APAC-based retailers.&#8221;
In premarket trading on Wednesday, the stock fell 3.04% to $176.27, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro data.</a>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39922907/sundar-pichai-opens-up-on-why-google-is-holding-on-to-cookies-we-now-believe-user-choice-is-the-best">Sundar Pichai Opens Up On Why Google Is Holding On To Cookies: &#8216;We Now Believe User Choice Is The Best Path Forward&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Earnings

Equities

Tech

GOOG

GOOGL

Alphabet Investors Fret Over Margin Impact Of Higher AI-related Capex, But Fund Manager Says Not Spending Enough Exposes Google's Parent To Risk Of 'Losing Their Grip On The Future'

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-24/bitcoin-reward-firm-fold-said-to-near-deal-with-betsy-cohen-spac?embedded-checkout=true" title="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-24/bitcoin-reward-firm-fold-said-to-near-deal-with-betsy-cohen-spac?embedded-checkout=true">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-24/bitcoin-reward-firm-fold-said-to-near-deal-with-betsy-cohen-spac?embedded-checkout=true</a>

EMLD

Bloomberg Reported Earlier, Bitcoin Reward Firm Fold Said To Near Deal With Betsy Cohen SPAC FTAC Emerald

Tesla Inc. CEO and xAI founder Elon Musk has publicly expressed his support for Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) CEO and his arch-rival Mark Zuckerberg&#8217;s views on the ongoing debate over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37503396/elon-musk-retorts-with-change-your-name-after-openai-assembles-all-star-cast-to-respond-to-lawsuit">open source</a> versus closed source AI models.
What Happened: Musk&#8217;s support for Zuckerberg&#8217;s stance on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37605652/sam-altmans-openai-rubbishes-non-profit-founding-agreement-as-fiction-conjured-by-elon-musk">open-source AI models</a> came after a user on X, formerly Twitter, shared a comment from Meta CEO&#8217;s blog post which was posted on Tuesday.
In the blog post, Zuckerberg criticized closed model providers for lobbying against open source. In response to the user, Musk said, &#8220;+1 for Zuck,&#8221; suggesting his agreement with the Facebook founder&#8217;s stance.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39902838/broadcom-to-challenge-nvidia-dominance-analyst-says-jensen-huang-led-chip-giants-competitor-is-catch?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Broadcom To Challenge Nvidia Dominance? Analyst Says Jensen Huang-Led Chip Giant&#8217;s Competitor Is &#8216;Catching Up&#8217;</a>
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">+1 for Zuck
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1815854477859029200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Musk&#8217;s endorsement of Zuckerberg&#8217;s viewpoint is noteworthy given his history as the Meta CEO. The two tech moguls <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/02/36922961/musk-vs-zuckerberg-though-billionaires-didnt-fight-in-cage-rivalry-heats-up-as-meta-is-now-worth-">got embroiled in a heated controversy</a> after Meta launched Threads as a rival to Twitter, the social media platform Musk acquired in 2022.
However, Musk&#8217;s support for Zuckerberg&#8217;s stance comes after a series of public criticisms against ChatGPT-parent OpenAI, an AI organization he co-founded with Sam Altman and others in 2015. 
Musk has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37179799/elon-musk-taunts-sam-altman-and-openai-over-open-image">OpenAI&#8217;s transition from a non-profit</a>, open-source model to a profit-oriented, closed-source structure.
Previously, Meta&#8217;s Chief AI Scientist, Yann LeCun, also expressed disagreement with OpenAI&#8217;s early investor, Vinod Khosla, over his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38782945/metas-chief-ai-scientist-clashes-with-early-openai-investor-vinod-khosla-clearly-can-profit-financia">support for closed-source AI</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39881748/elon-musks-xai-flips-the-switch-on-100k-nvidia-h100-gpus-worth-up-to-4b-in-memphis-supercluster-most?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk&#8217;s xAI Flips The Switch On 100K Nvidia H100 GPUs Worth Up To $4B In Memphis Supercluster: &#8216;Most Powerful AI Training Cluster In The World&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photos courtesy: Shutterstock

Elon Musk Agrees With Arch-Rival Mark Zuckerberg After Meta CEO Slams Closed Providers Like OpenAI For Lobbying Against Open Source AI: '+1 For Zuck'

Piper Sandler analyst Arvind Ramnani maintains Visa (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>) with a Overweight and lowers the price target from $322 to $319.

Piper Sandler Maintains Overweight on Visa, Lowers Price Target to $319

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPI#NYSE">GPI</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $9.80 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $9.36 by 4.7 percent. This is a 16.45 percent decrease over earnings of $11.73 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $4.70 billion which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $4.71 billion by 0.30 percent. This is a 3.01 percent increase over sales of $4.56 billion the same period last year.

Earnings Beats

Earnings Misses

Group 1 Automotive Q2 Adj $9.80 Beats $9.36 Estimate, Sales $4.70B Miss $4.71B Estimate

<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/rivian-face-trial-tesla-trade-secrets-theft-case-judge-says-2024-07-24/" title="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/rivian-face-trial-tesla-trade-secrets-theft-case-judge-says-2024-07-24/">https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/rivian-face-trial-tesla-trade-secrets-theft-case-judge-says-2024-07-24/</a>

Legal

RIVN

TSLA

Reuters Reported Earlier, Rivian To Face Trial In Tesla Trade Secrets Theft Case

Piper Sandler analyst Clarke Jeffries maintains Shopify (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHOP#NYSE">SHOP</a>) with a Neutral and raises the price target from $63 to $67.

SHOP

Piper Sandler Maintains Neutral on Shopify, Raises Price Target to $67

New CEO Appointment:
For the past 10 years, Nadav Zafrir has been a co-founder and managing partner at Team8, a global venture creation and venture capital fund. Team8 establishes and invests in companies focused on
New CEO Appointment:
For the past 10 years, Nadav Zafrir has been a co-founder and managing partner at Team8, a global venture creation and venture capital fund. Team8 establishes and invests in companies focused on cyber security, Data &amp; AI, Fintech and digital health. He built, invested and chaired 17 cyber security companies in addition to dozens of other technology companies he has consulted and mentored. He previously served 25 years in the IDF, retiring as a Brigadier General. Since 2019, he has served as Chairman of the Board of SolarEdge Technologies, a Nasdaq traded smart energy company. Mr. Zafrir will assume the CEO role in December 2024 and will join Check Point&#39;s Board of Directors upon shareholder approval at Check Point&#39;s next Annual General Meeting. Gil Shwed will become Executive Chairman of the Board.
&quot;We are concluding a thorough CEO search process after examining candidates from around the world and found the perfect individual. Nadav has been a key leader in the global cyber security ecosystem for over a decade. Having lived in New York and Tel Aviv, he became one of the most respected figures within the global CISO community. He established and led multiple cyber security companies and partnered with the world&#39;s largest security vendors. I admire his achievements and leadership skills and I am excited about his appointment, and believe he is the right leader to take Check Point to new heights,&quot; concluded Mr. Shwed.

Management

CHKP

Check Point Tapped Nadav Zafrir As CEO, Effective December 2024, Gil Shwed, Founder & CEO, Will Transition To Executive Chairman

Check Point Software Q2 2024 Adj EPS $2.17 Beats $2.16 Estimate, Sales $627.400M Beat $623.266M Estimate

<a href="https://www.cnmc.es/prensa/incoacion-apple-20240724" title="https://www.cnmc.es/prensa/incoacion-apple-20240724">https://www.cnmc.es/prensa/incoacion-apple-20240724</a>

AAPL

Spain's CNMC Earlier Announced Investigation Of Apple For Possible Anti-Competitive Practices Related To App Store

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) has launched online pharmacy and drug delivery services in Japan, expanding its presence in the company&#8217;s global healthcare industry.
What Happened: Amazon has launched online prescription and medicine delivery services in Japan, in collaboration with approximately 2,500 drug stores nationwide. This initiative, introduced on Tuesday, will allow consumers to obtain their medications without visiting a physical pharmacy, <a href="https://japantoday.com/category/national/update1-amazon-begins-online-pharmacy-drug-delivery-services-in-japan">reported</a> Japan Today.
The Amazon Pharmacy service, already available outside Japan, enables consumers to receive electronic prescriptions after an online diagnosis through the CLINICS comprehensive healthcare app, or at a hospital or clinic. This service is primarily targeted at individuals with chronic health conditions who regularly require prescription refills.
Users of the service can receive guidance on medication administration through video chats with pharmacists, accessed via their Amazon accounts. They can also choose to have their medications delivered to their homes or pick them up from nearby pharmacies.
The Amazon Japan executive expressed the company&#8217;s commitment to providing personalized healthcare services and plans to collaborate with more pharmacies, including small- and medium-sized ones.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/07/39877083/elon-musk-may-have-endorsed-trump-but-tesla-would-have-done-even-worse-without-bidens-7-5k-ev-tax-cr?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk May Have Endorsed Trump, But Tesla Would Have Done &#8216;Even Worse&#8217; Without Biden&#8217;s $7.5K EV Tax Credit, Says Fund Manager</a>
Why It Matters: This recent development in Japan follows Amazon&#8217;s expansion of its RxPass subscription service to over 50 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39382137/amazon-expands-rxpass-to-medicare-members-a-closer-look-at-savings">million Medicare beneficiaries</a> in the U.S. This expansion aimed to provide affordable access to medications for a broader audience.
Amazon&#8217;s pharmacy unit has been making significant strides, including a partnership with Eli Lilly and Co. for the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/03/37657277/obesity-drugs-on-amazon-eli-lilly-partners-with-amazons-pharmacy-unit-to-deliver-drug-prescriptio">delivery of obesity drugs</a>. This partnership marked a significant step in expanding access to vital medications, with Amazon Pharmacy becoming a third-party dispensing provider for LillyDirect Pharmacy Solutions.
However, Amazon&#8217;s foray into the pharmaceutical industry was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/02/36971965/amazon-implements-major-job-cuts-in-one-medical-and-pharmacy-units-to-save-100m">not without its challenges</a>. The company had to implement major job cuts in its One Medical and Pharmacy units to save $100 million. Despite this, Amazon&#8217;s pharmacy unit has continued to expand its services, with the recent launch in Japan being a significant step in its global expansion.
Price Action: Amazon&#8217;s stock closed at $186.41 on Tuesday, up 2.11% for the day. In pre-market trading, the stock is slightly dipped by 0.059%. Year to date, Amazon's stock has risen by $36.48, reflecting a significant increase of 24.33%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/07/39891426/amc-entertainment-stock-halted-movie-theater-chain-announces-restructuring-of-debt-load-ada?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMC Entertainment Announces Restructuring Of Debt Load, Adam Aron Says Box Office Challenges Are In &#8216;Rearview Mirror&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/Kaustubh-Bagalkote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kaustubh Bagalkote</a>

Health Care

Global

AMZN

Amazon Expands Into Japan's Pharmacy Market With Online Drug Delivery Services

GILD

Gilead Sciences Announced Phase 3 Purpose 1 Trial Data, Showing Zero Infections And 100% Efficacy And Superiority Of Lenacapavir To Background HIV Incidence For The Investigational Use Of HIV Prevention In Cisgender Women

Macro Economic Events

Econ #s

Economics

U.K. Services Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary 52.4 Vs. 52.5 Est.; 52.1 Prior

U.K. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary 51.8 Vs. 51.1 Est.; 50.9 Prior

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), is turning to the public for fashion advice. The tech mogul <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39876926/elon-musk-says-its-high-time-for-an-ai-fashion-show-shares-video-of-mark-zuckerberg-in-a-reptile-sui">recently posted AI-generated images</a> of himself in various outfits and asked his followers to vote for their favorite look.
What Happened: Zuckerberg, known for his casual attire, is now experimenting with his style. The images, created using Meta AI, depict him in different outfits, including one with oversized gold chains, another resembling a member of NSYNC, a third as a streetwear designer, and the last as a &#8220;video game character&#8221; in a blue cap and vest.
Meta CEO <a href="https://www.threads.net/@zuck/post/C9xxwZZyx5B/">posted</a> these photos on his Elon Musk&#8216;s X rival social media platform Threads.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="549" height="592" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/24034550/image-39.png" alt="" class="wp-image-453243" style="width:340px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/24034550/image-39.png 549w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/24034550/image-39-278x300.png 278w" sizes="(max-width: 549px) 100vw, 549px" /></figure>
The outfit experiment coincides with the launch of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/07/39915337/mark-zuckerberg-takes-aim-at-elon-musk-sam-altman-with-big-ai-aspirations-through-metas-latest-llama">Meta&#8217;s latest AI model</a>, Llama 3.1, which allows users to create AI-generated images based on their selfies. The internet&#8217;s favorite image was the one with Zuckerberg wearing large gold chains, which won 33% of the vote.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39875506/crowdstrikes-faulty-microsoft-windows-update-gets-slammed-by-us-cybersecurity-official-was-a-huge-de?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Crowdstrike&#8217;s Faulty Microsoft Windows Update Gets Slammed By US Cybersecurity Official: &#8216;Was A Huge Deal…&#8217;</a>
Aside from his fashion choices, Zuckerberg may also be venturing into <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/07/39867045/metas-34-year-to-date-surge-and-a-5-stake-in-essilorluxottica-transform-ray-ban-smart-glasses-and-re">the streetwear business</a>. Meta has acquired about 5% of Ray-Ban&#8216;s parent company EssilorLuxottica, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/meta-in-talks-to-buy-stake-in-eyewear-giant-essilorluxottica-3afc69d2">according</a> to The Wall Street Journal, which recently announced its acquisition of the popular Gen Z streetwear brand Supreme.
Why It Matters: Zuckerberg&#8217;s recent fashion experiment is in line with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/07/39915337/mark-zuckerberg-takes-aim-at-elon-musk-sam-altman-with-big-ai-aspirations-through-metas-latest-llama">Meta&#8217;s broader AI aspirations</a>. The company&#8217;s latest AI model, Llama 3.1, is part of Meta&#8217;s ambitious AI plans, which aim to compete with other tech giants in the AI space, including Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google and Musk&#8217;s xAI.
Meta&#8217;s AI technology has also been a point of contention with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), with Meta&#8217;s CTO Andrew Bosworth making a cheeky remark about Apple&#8217;s privacy stance in response to Apple&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39704663/after-cupertinos-refusal-to-integrate-llama-into-apple-intelligence-metas-cto-makes-cheeky-remark-sa">refusal to integrate Llama</a> into its suite of AI features.
Meta&#8217;s AI ambitions are part of its broader strategy to dominate the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38372183/meta-takes-a-leaf-out-of-googles-playbook-aims-to-make-quest-os-the-android-of-mixed-reality">mixed-reality space</a>, with the company opening up its Quest operating system to third-party hardware manufacturers to create a new ecosystem of mixed-reality devices.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39872729/nvidias-potential-50-trillion-valuation-tesla-and-xais-ai-expansion-plans-and-microsofts-trillion-do?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nvidia&#8217;s Potential $50 Trillion Valuation, Tesla And xAI&#8217;s AI Expansion Plans, And Microsoft&#8217;s Trillion-Dollar Tech: This Week In Artificial Intelligence</a>
Photo courtesy: Flickr
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/Kaustubh-Bagalkote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kaustubh Bagalkote</a>

Social Media

Mark Zuckerberg Turns To Public For Fashion Advice On AI-Generated Outfits, Showcases Meta's Latest AI Model Llama 3.1

WAFU

Wah Fu Education Group Limited Announced Its Entry Into The Fields Of Educational AI And Informatization

Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) has committed to a new multiyear investment of $5 billion into its autonomous driving technology unit Waymo, company CFO Ruth Porat said on Tuesday. 
What Happened: The new round of funding, Porat said during the company&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/07/39917921/alphabet-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-innovation-at-every-layer-of-the-ai-stack-and-more">second-quarter earnings call</a>, is consistent with recent annual investment levels and will enable the company to &#8220;continue to build the world&#8217;s leading autonomous driving technology company.&#8221;
&#8220;Alphabet has committed up to $5B to Waymo. We are grateful for their immense vote of confidence in our team and recognizing the amazing progress we've made with our technology, product, and commercialization efforts, Waymo co-CEO Tekedra N Mawakana wrote in a post on X. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Alphabet has committed up to $5B to <a href="https://twitter.com/Waymo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Waymo</a>. We are grateful for their immense vote of confidence in our team and recognizing the amazing progress we've made with our technology, product, and commercialization efforts.
&mdash; Tekedra N Mawakana (@TechTekedra) <a href="https://twitter.com/TechTekedra/status/1815858655092433175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
More details on the investment will be revealed in the company&#8217;s 10-Q form which is yet to be filed, Porat said. 
Elon Musk Responds: Tesla CEO Elon Musk laughed at Alphabet&#8217;s new investment into Waymo on social media platform X with a short, &#8220;Waymo money.&#8221; 
The CEO was seemingly making a jibe at how the venture is costing the parent company way more money, owing to its significant cash burn. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Waymo money &#x1f602;
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1815860868762198228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Musk&#8217;s Tesla is also trying to achieve vehicle autonomy with its full self-driving (FSD) driver assistance software. However, the technology is still in the development phase and requires active driver supervision. 
The company also intends to unveil a dedicated Robotaxi product later this year. 
Why It Matters: &#8220;In Other Bets (segment), I&#8217;m really pleased with the progress Waymo is making, a real leader in space and getting rave reviews from users,&#8221; Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said on Tuesday. Waymo is currently delivering well over 50,000 paid trips per week to customers, he added.
Anyone in San Francisco and Phoenix can currently download the Waymo One app and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39494723/waymo-autonomous-rides-now-available-to-everyone-in-san-francisco-heres-how-you-can-enjoy-driverless">hail an autonomous ride</a> in an all-electric Jaguar I-PACE.
In <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37688183/alphabets-waymo-is-coming-to-teslas-backyard-with-driverless-rides-later-this-year">Los Angeles</a>, Waymo offers rides to select individuals who signed up to ride with the company and joined its waitlist. The company also recently started operations in Austin, Texas, where it provides autonomous rides to its employees.
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read More:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39923738/tesla-reiterates-new-electric-vehicles-on-track-for-2025-but-ceo-elon-musk-refuses-to-divulge-detail">Tesla Reiterates New Electric Vehicles On Track For 2025, But CEO Elon Musk Refuses To Divulge Details: &#8216;We&#8217;re Going To Make Great Products&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Alphabet Commits To Another $5B Investment In Waymo: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Takes Jibe At Cash Burn In Unit

Solera Announces That Its Roadnet Anywhere Solution Is Being Implemented By Iron Mountain, A Global Leader In Storage And Information Management Services

Eurozone Services Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For July 51.9 Vs. 52.9 Est.; 52.8 Prior

Achari Ventures Hldgs

The newest cannabis special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Achari Ventures Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AVHIU" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">AVHIU</a>) went public Friday. The company priced its initial public offering of 10 million units at&nbsp;$10.00 per unit. Its units are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market and started trading under the ticker symbol &quot;AVHIU&quot; on October 15, 2021.

The New York-based company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Achari Ventures noted that its original focus will be on tracking acquisition opportunities with an ancillary (non-plant touching) company operating in the cannabis industry, including equipment, hardware, technology/software, or hydroponics.

Its sponsors include Achari Sponsor Holdings I LLC an affiliate of Achari Ventures, and is led by Vikas Desai, CEO and chairman of the board of&nbsp;directors; Mitch Hara COO and CFO&nbsp;and Merrick Friedman, CIO and director. Achari Ventures is a leading early investment firm focused on the cannabis industry.&nbsp;

&quot;Our team has been an active and early participant in the cannabis industry, having identified, early on, its significant potential for explosive growth,&quot; Vikas Desai, CEO of Achari stated. &quot;We believe a unique opportunity exists to partner with an established and successful company in the space, leveraging our capital, industry and operating expertise to rapidly scale its business as the cannabis regulatory environment matures.&quot;

<h3>IPO Details 
Under the IPO, each unit consists of one share of common stock and one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase three-quarters of one share of common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. Because the warrants may only be exercised for whole numbers of shares, only a number in multiples of four warrants may be exercised at any given time. Once the securities comprising the units begin trading separately, the Company expects that the common stock and redeemable warrants will be listed on the Nasdaq under the symbols &quot;AVHI&quot; and &quot;AVHIW,&quot; respectively.</h3>

Chardan is serving as the sole book-running manager.&nbsp;Reed Smith LLP acted as counsel to the Company, and White and Williams LLP acted as counsel to Chardan. The Company has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments if any.

Photo: Courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/@elsaolofsson?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Elsa Olofsson</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/marijuana?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>

Full-service, turn-key cannabis gift card and marketing solutions provider, Birchmount Network, announced it closed a $2.5M seed round led by Achari Ventures&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVHIU#NASDAQ">AVHIU</a>)&nbsp;with participation from WGD Capital, Poseidon Asset Management and the Arcview Group.

The investment will enable Birchmount to deepen integrations with leading point-of-sale systems (POS) and other solution providers for continued expansion throughout the U.S. and Canadian cannabis markets.

The capital will also be used to optimize marketing efforts, grow its team and support the growth of cannabis companies by providing robust, compliant gift card programs and related marketing services.

Cannabis Gift Cards -&nbsp;Just In Time For The Holidays!

Birchmount provides gift cards and related marketing solutions to cannabis retailers in the U.S. and Canada. The cards&nbsp;can be&nbsp;easily and seamlessly integrated into existing POS systems or available as standalone solutions.

The physical and digital gift card programs, according to Birchmount, create new avenues for brands to increase revenue, attract new consumers and deepen customer loyalty.

The company intends to power programs for roughly 500 dispensaries across the U.S. and Canada by year-end. 
&ldquo;We are thrilled to bring best practices across compliance and fraud mitigation within the mainstream gift card industry to the rapidly growing cannabis industry,&quot; Birchmount CEO and co-founder Alex Barseghian said. &quot;Gift cards are a proven catalyst for customer growth, consumer loyalty and increased incremental revenue, but cannabis businesses didn&rsquo;t have easy access to such programs. When we looked at the marketplace gap that was occurring, we saw an immediate opportunity to not only service consumers with more frictionless retail experiences, but also to arm business owners with this popular mainstream service used widely in the CPG sector.&rdquo;

Birchmount is&nbsp;backed by a management team with a collective 20+ years of experience in the gift card industry - their collective&nbsp;previous experience&nbsp;includes managing programs for some of the world&rsquo;s top brands, including Starbucks, Sephora, Lululemon, Shoppers Drug Mart, Kroger and more.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Comments

Achari Ventures Hldgs

News

Latest news for Achari Ventures Hldgs (OTC:AVHIU) Stock

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Tuesday, October 19, 2021