Short interest for Fire & Flower Holdings gives investors a sense of the degree to which investors are betting on the decline of Fire & Flower Holdings's stock. Short interest data is updated every two weeks.

Fire & Flower Holdings Stock (OTC:FFLWF), Short Interest Report

Fire & Flower Holdings Corp is an independent adult-use cannabis retailer focused on the Canadian market and international expansion opportunities. The company guides consumers through the complex world of cannabis through education-focused, retailing while the Hifyrea digital platform connects consumers with cannabis products. The company has three reportable segments namely, Retail segment, Wholesale and Logistics segment, and Digital Platform. Majority of the revenue is earned from Retail segment.

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ALEAFIA HEALTH INC ORD by Aleafia Health Inc.

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Canadian cannabis retailers have had a challenging year, which is why the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), which holds a monopoly on legal distribution in the province, announced a change in its pricing.

Ontario Reduces Wholesale Markups On Marijuana As Large Operators Continue To Struggle

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TSX:FAF

Fire &amp; Flower Holdings Corp. (OTCQX: FFLWF) (TSX:FAF) announced that the company and its subsidiaries, (collectively, the &#34;Fire &amp; Flower Group&#34;), have received an order for creditor protection from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) under the Companies

Fire &amp; Flower Files For CCAA Protection, Secures $7.3M Via Debtor-In-Possession Loan

Earnings

Fire &amp; Flower Q1 Revenue Grows 5.3% YoY, What About Adjusted EBITDA?

FIRE & FLOWERS HLDGS CP by Fire & Flower Holdings Corporation

Fire & Flower Holdings Corp

There was a time when 20-plus episode runs were the standard for TV shows, but not for the ones we watch today. If you also like to stay consistent with a fictional world and are itching to binge-watch something that has endured the test of time, you've come to the right place.
Here are five timeless TV shows that have been running forever and are perfect for Gen Zs and millennials alike:
The Simpsons: The Animated Gem That Crack Jokes And Predicts Future&nbsp;
This witty satire with clever social commentary has entertained audiences since its debut in 1989. The show features several relatable characters, from the adorably flawed Homer to the precocious Lisa, with slightly different views than most children her age.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="734" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023113/MV5BNDIzYjQ5ZDAtZmEyZS00NDgyLThkNzEtNDE0OTllMTMxMjc5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTM2MzkzOTg1._V1_-1024x734.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-322479" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023113/MV5BNDIzYjQ5ZDAtZmEyZS00NDgyLThkNzEtNDE0OTllMTMxMjc5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTM2MzkzOTg1._V1_-1024x734.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023113/MV5BNDIzYjQ5ZDAtZmEyZS00NDgyLThkNzEtNDE0OTllMTMxMjc5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTM2MzkzOTg1._V1_-300x215.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023113/MV5BNDIzYjQ5ZDAtZmEyZS00NDgyLThkNzEtNDE0OTllMTMxMjc5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTM2MzkzOTg1._V1_-768x551.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023113/MV5BNDIzYjQ5ZDAtZmEyZS00NDgyLThkNzEtNDE0OTllMTMxMjc5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTM2MzkzOTg1._V1_.jpg 1506w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Simpsons &#x7C; Source: IMDb</figcaption></figure>
Saturday Night Live: The Ultimate Hub For Hilarious Sketches And Celebrity Guests&nbsp;
This late-night comedy variety show has everything, from live comedy sketches to musical performances and celebrity guests. With almost 50 years on the air, SNL has been a launching pad for some of the biggest names like Eddie Murphy and Tina Fey.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023256/MV5BMTE1ZTM1NTQtNTM0Ny00MDMwLWJlNjItZDc4NTBjNjI1Y2ZjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTU3MzE1ODcx._V1_-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-322480" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023256/MV5BMTE1ZTM1NTQtNTM0Ny00MDMwLWJlNjItZDc4NTBjNjI1Y2ZjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTU3MzE1ODcx._V1_-1024x576.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023256/MV5BMTE1ZTM1NTQtNTM0Ny00MDMwLWJlNjItZDc4NTBjNjI1Y2ZjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTU3MzE1ODcx._V1_-300x169.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023256/MV5BMTE1ZTM1NTQtNTM0Ny00MDMwLWJlNjItZDc4NTBjNjI1Y2ZjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTU3MzE1ODcx._V1_-768x432.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023256/MV5BMTE1ZTM1NTQtNTM0Ny00MDMwLWJlNjItZDc4NTBjNjI1Y2ZjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTU3MzE1ODcx._V1_.jpg 1260w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Saturday Night Live &#x7C; Source: IMDb</figcaption></figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38375666/i-used-to-think-k-dramas-were-all-about-teen-romance-but-these-5-shows-changed-my-mind-mayb">I Used To Think K-Dramas Were All About Teen Romance, But These 5 Shows Changed My Mind — Maybe They Will Change Yours Too</a>
Law &amp; Order (Special Victims Unit): The Gripping World Of Crime And Justice&nbsp;&nbsp;
Over the years, this show has garnered a dedicated fan base because of its compelling and sensitive portrayals of crimes that are particularly heinous, like sexual assault. Moreover, the cast of the show and their depiction of complex characters have made it a favorite of many celebrities as well.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023440/MV5BZWM2NDZiYzktZmVjNy00MTcxLTlkYWEtNjBlODcxMTBjZmEyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMTg2ODkz._V1_-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-322481" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023440/MV5BZWM2NDZiYzktZmVjNy00MTcxLTlkYWEtNjBlODcxMTBjZmEyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMTg2ODkz._V1_-1024x683.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023440/MV5BZWM2NDZiYzktZmVjNy00MTcxLTlkYWEtNjBlODcxMTBjZmEyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMTg2ODkz._V1_-300x200.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023440/MV5BZWM2NDZiYzktZmVjNy00MTcxLTlkYWEtNjBlODcxMTBjZmEyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMTg2ODkz._V1_-768x512.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023440/MV5BZWM2NDZiYzktZmVjNy00MTcxLTlkYWEtNjBlODcxMTBjZmEyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMTg2ODkz._V1_-1536x1024.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023440/MV5BZWM2NDZiYzktZmVjNy00MTcxLTlkYWEtNjBlODcxMTBjZmEyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMTg2ODkz._V1_.jpg 1620w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Law &amp; Order (Special Victims Unit) &#x7C; Source: IMDb</figcaption></figure>
NCIS: The Mixture Of Crime-Solving, Camaraderie, And Peak Into Naval Universe&nbsp;
This TV show has won the hearts of many people because it has the winning formula: thrilling crime-solving, diverse personalities of the team members and a healthy dose of quirks and humor. NCIS also has a strong sense of patriotism that resonates with the audience and fosters a sense of pride toward the armed forces.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04023939/MV5BYTdhYTI3ZTItNDc2NS00YzM2LWIxMjQtMTJjZjlkOTg3MTgyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc5Mjg0NjU%40._V1_-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-322484" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">NCIS&#x7C; Source: IMDb</figcaption></figure>
Days Of Our Lives: The Melodramatic Yet Addictive World Of Salem&nbsp;
It is a daytime soap opera with an addictive blend of love triangles, shocking secrets, evil twins, and more. The show is known for introducing multiple unforgettable characters, including the ultimate antagonist Stefano DiMera and the legendary couple Bo and Hope.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/04024241/MV5BMjE1MTE5MTEyMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTkwNTM1MTI%40._V1_-1024x598.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-322485" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Days Of Our Lives&#x7C; Source: IMDb</figcaption></figure>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38457119/5-ancient-mysteries-tha%5B%E2%80%A6%5Due-to-baffle-scientists-despite-all-the-advancements-in-tech/upcacheh">5 Ancient Mysteries That Continue To Baffle Scientists Despite All The Advancements In Tech</a>
Image Via Shutterstock

Entertainment

General

From Classics To Cult Favorites: 5 Longest-Running American TV Shows Every Gen-Z And Millennial Should Add To Their Watchlist

The weekend dawned with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38630402/teslas-dogecoin-adoption-sends-crypto-market-into-frenzy-meme-coin-surges-by-over-21">frenzied activity in meme coins,</a> spearheaded by a newcomer among the pack. The gains came on the back of broad-based strength seen in the cryptocurrency space.
The Movers: Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)-based, dog-themed meme coin Dogwifhat (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">WIF</a>), which launched in November 2023, led the gains among the meme coins. At last check:
<ul>
<li>WIF rose 17.63% over the past 24 hours to $3.47.</li>
<li>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) climbed 14.88% to $0.1613.</li>
<li>Floki (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">FLOKI</a>) surged up 14.26% to $$0.0001955.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Pepe (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">PEPE</a>) rose 11.23% to $$0.000008846.</li>
</ul>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/top-meme-coins">Top 10 Meme Coins To Look Out For In 2024</a>
What&#8217;s Driving The Rally: Meme coins have been on an uptrend since late April and the strength was sustained for much of the week amid the Federal Reserve&#8217;s rate decision and Jerome Powell&#8217;s dovish comments.
The weekend acceleration came as some publications reported that Elon Musk&#8217;s electric-vehicle company Tesla would accept payment for certain products in Doge on its online shop. This, however, is not a new development.
Crypto analyst Ali Martinez predicted on Wednesday that Doge could be priming for a bull run. Sharing a long-term chart of the crypto on X, formerly Twitter, he said the meme coin was tracing a pattern, which has been a precursor for the bull runs in the past.
<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">Over the years, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dogecoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dogecoin</a> appears to mirror its previous bull cycles! All you need is a little bit of patience. &#x231a;&#xFE0F; <a href="https://t.co/QMqvmJaLkl">pic.twitter.com/QMqvmJaLkl</a>
&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1785808747383673157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The move could have to do more with momentum buying. Meanwhile, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), the apex crypto also rose, advancing 2.97% to $63,695.82, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data.</a></figcaption></figure>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38630548/exclusive-trump-themed-maga-memecoin-plans-to-rival-dogecoin-and-shiba-inu-with-four-more-">Trump-Themed MAGA Memecoin Plans To Rival Dogecoin And Shiba Inu With &#8216;Four More Years Of Catalysts&#8217;</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

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$BTC

$DOGE

$FLOKI

$PEPE

$SOL

$WIF

Dogecoin Sprints Off With Meme Cousins Over The Weekend: Here Are 4 Cryptos Trading With 10%+ Gains

While explaining why <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38630421/warren-buffett-confidence-in-apple-wanes-berkshire-cuts-stake-by-18-amid-tech-giants-troubles">Berkshire Hathaway trimmed its Apple position at the annual shareholder meeting</a> on Saturday, Warren Buffett made a comment that drew huge applause from the audience.
The investment guru noted that Berkshire pays taxes at a 21% federal tax rate on the capital gains it earns on its Apple investment. The tax rate was at 35% not long ago and a steeper 52% in the past, he said.
&#8220;The federal government owns a part of the earnings of the business we make. They don&#8217;t own the assets, but they own a percentage of the earnings and they can change that percentage any year,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;I would say with the present fiscal policies, I think that something has to give,&#8221; he said.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/macro-notification/24/04/38337484/is-the-us-national-debt-unsustainable-we-cant-have-a-deficit-of-7-of-the-gdp">The U.S. government is operating with a huge fiscal deficit</a> and is burdened by a heavy debt load. 
With this in mind, Buffett said higher taxes are quite likely. 
&#8220;They may decide that someday they don&#8217;t want the fiscal deficit to be this large because that has some important consequences and they may not want to decrease spending a lot,&#8221; he said.
Buffett stated that Berkshire pays substantial federal income taxes, emphasizing that it is appropriate for a company in a country as generous to business owners as the United States to fulfill its tax obligations.
He noted that Berkshire sent over $5 billion to the U.S. federal government in taxes last year. 
&#8220;If 800 other companies had done the same thing no other person in the United States would have had to pay a dime of federal taxes, whether income taxes, no social security taxes, no estate taxes.&#8221;
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38630385/wanna-save-real-money-buffett-has-2-pieces-of-advice-for-cash-strapped-consumers"> Wanna Save &#8216;Real Money?&#8217; Buffett Has 2 Pieces Of Advice For Cash-Strapped Consumers</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Government

Buffett Says No Other Americans Would Have Had To Pay Even A Dime In Federal Taxes If This Had Happened

Former top aide to Donald Trump,&nbsp;Hope Hicks, testified yesterday that he instructed her during the 2016 presidential election&#8217;s final days to deny his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38604557/trumps-hush-money-trial-lawyer-who-represented-stormy-daniels-reveals-payment-details-reads-out-fund" rel="noreferrer noopener">alleged sexual involvement with&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38604557/trumps-hush-money-trial-lawyer-who-represented-stormy-daniels-reveals-payment-details-reads-out-fund" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stormy Daniels</a>.
Hicks&#8217; testimony provided jurors with insights into the campaign&#8217;s efforts to manage damage control amid numerous allegations of Trump&#8217;s inappropriate sexual behavior during the final weeks of his victorious White House bid, Reuters reported.
Check This Out:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/05/38626165/hope-hicks-testifies-on-trumps-ex-lawyer-michael-cohens-mr-fix-it-moniker-only-because-he-broke-" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hope Hicks Testifies On Trump&#8217;s Ex-Lawyer Michael Cohen&#8217;s &#8216;Mr. Fix&nbsp;It&#8217;&nbsp;Moniker: &#8216;Only Because He Broke It First&#8217;</a>
Trump has maintained his innocence against charges of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to Daniels, who threatened to disclose their alleged 2006 sexual encounter.
Hicks testified that she told Trump four days before the Nov. 8, 2016, election that the Wall Street Journal would publish details of Daniels&#8217; story.&nbsp;
&#8220;He wanted to make sure that there was a denial of any kind of relationship,&#8221; said Hicks, who served as campaign press secretary, according to Reuters. 
Hicks added that Trump expressed a desire to shield his wife, Melania Trump, from the story, which also implicated him in an alleged affair with former Playboy model Karen McDougal. 
Donald Trump has consistently denied engaging in sexual relations with either woman.
&#8220;He was concerned about how it would be viewed by his wife, and he wanted me to make sure the newspapers weren&#8217;t delivered to the residence that morning,&#8221; Hicks said.
Hicks&#8217; testimony might support Donald Trump&#8217;s legal defense that the payment to Daniels was intended to shield his wife, not influence voters. 
The former president purportedly told Hicks that his lawyer, Michael Cohen, made the payment out of personal goodwill to shield him from false allegations.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38629833/berkshire-hathaways-q1-operating-earnings-surged-39-heres-why" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berkshire Hathaway&#8217;s Q1 Operating Earnings Surged 39% — Here&#8217;s Why</a>
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: Shutterstock

Politics

Did Donald Trump Deny Stormy Daniels Affair To Shield Wife Melania From Scandal? Former Top Aide Testifies In Hush-Money Trial.

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Trump</a>&#8216;s vow to combat what he perceives as &#8220;anti-white sentiment&#8221; in the United States is poised to empower supporters who aim to dismantle initiatives within both government and corporate sectors aimed at addressing racism and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/04/38037760/trump-allies-to-reportedly-address-anti-white-racism-through-civil-rights-law-reinterpretation-biden" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">promoting diversity in American society</a>.
Certain prominent backers of the ex-president, now the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, argue that measures designed to protect people of color in educational settings, workplaces and charitable organizations should be revisited to also safeguard the rights of white individuals, Reuters reported.
&#8220;I think there is a definite anti-white feeling in this country,&#8221; Trump told Time in an <a href="https://time.com/6972270/donald-trump-anti-white-bias-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interview</a> published last week. &#8220;I don&#8217;t think it would be a very tough thing to address, frankly. But I think the laws are very unfair right now.&#8221;
During the interview, Trump did not provide specific instances of anti-white bias or propose any policy solutions.
Trump has outlined several plans, and some of his allies are offering detailed recommendations in the event that Trump regains the White House from Democrat Joe Biden in the upcoming Nov. 5 election, Reuters added.
One proposal from Trump would overturn Biden&#8217;s executive order, which mandates federal agencies to evaluate whether underserved communities — such as people of color, LGBTQ Americans, and rural Americans — have sufficient access to their programs. 
Trump has pledged at campaign rallies to defund schools that teach critical race theory, an academic concept seldom taught in public schools that posits that racial bias is ingrained in U.S. institutions.
&#8220;There&#8217;s always been an ability to foment this kind of anxiety and frustration among many whites whenever an effort to level the playing field for non-whites has been successful in any way,&#8221; said&nbsp;Tricia Rose, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University, Reuters noted.
Corporate diversity programs must ensure they are not discriminatory, with the Justice Department potentially citing Section VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act for authority. This landmark legislation, born from the Civil Rights Movement, bars hiring or compensation decisions based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. 
Gene Hamilton, a former Justice Department official under Trump, argued that this act should safeguard white individuals too. 
Read Next:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37765159/tesla-settles-racial-discrimination-lawsuit-with-former-employee" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Tesla Settles Racial Discrimination Lawsuit With Former Employee</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: Shutterstock

Donald Trump's Pledge To Tackle 'Anti-White Sentiment' Sparks Debate On Country's Policies Promoting Racial Diversity And Equity: 'The Laws Are Very Unfair Right Now'

Investment guru Warren Buffett conceded on Saturday that he was wrong on the influence of technological advances, especially <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38610325/tim-cook-very-bullish-on-apples-generative-ai-efforts-despite-lower-capital-expenditure-than-riv">generative AI.</a>
What Happened: Speaking at Berkshire Hathaway&#8217;s annual shareholder meeting in Nebraska, Omaha, Buffett said, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know anything about AI.&#8221; He reminded shareholders about his comments about nuclear weapons at last year&#8217;s meeting.
&#8220;We let the genie out of the bottle when we developed nuclear weapons. That genie has been doing terrible things lately, and the power of the genie scares the hell out of me, and I don't know any way to get the genie back into the bottle,&#8221; he said, repeating his comments from the previous meeting.
On Saturday, he said AI is somewhat similar. 
&#8220;It's part way out of the bottle,&#8221; he said, adding that &#8220;it&#8217;s enormously important and it&#8217;s going to be done by somebody.&#8221;
&#8220;We may wish we never be seeing that genie or it might do valuable things.&#8221;
Buffett recounted one experience with AI that frightened him. He said he was recently disturbed by a fake video of himself, which he said was so convincing he would have been tempted to send money to the scammers himself.
He, however, did agree that AI has potential to do good too.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t have any advice on how the world handles it,&#8221; he admitted.
 &#8220;I do think as a person who doesn&#8217;t understand a damn thing about it, it has enormous potential for good and enormous potential for harm, and I just don&#8217;t know how that plays out.&#8221;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-artificial-intelligence-stocks">Best Artificial Intelligence Stocks</a>
Why It&#8217;s Important: The technology of artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI like OpenAI&#8217;s ChatGPT chatbot, is becoming increasingly essential, finding its place in the corporate world and in the lives of consumers.
The AI frenzy bears resemblance to the dot-com bubble of the mid to late 90s, with analysts predicting its longevity. The tech industry&#8217;s key players have all enthusiastically embraced the AI arena, leading the revolution forward.
Analyst also see artificial general intelligence likely increasing productivity and acting as a big boost to GDP growth. 
That said, like Buffett, others have raised concerns about the unchecked proliferation of AI and its associated risks.
Tesla&#8217;s CEO Elon Musk, one of the co-founders of OpenAI, said at a two-day U.K. AI Safety Summit late last year that regulation of AI &#8220;will be annoying,&#8221; adding that &#8220;I think we've learned over the years that having a referee is a good thing.&#8221;
Recently, Nvidia&#8217;s Jensen Huang <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38510989/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-predicts-ai-will-make-companies-hire-more-workers-with-higher-earnings-there">allayed concerns about human jobs potentially being displaced by AI and robots. </a>
&#8220;I believe that you still want humans in the loop, because we have good judgment, because there are circumstances that the machines are not — just not going to understand,&#8221; he said.
The&nbsp;Global X Artificial Intelligence &amp; Technology ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIQ#NASDAQ">AIQ</a>) closed Friday&#8217;s&nbsp;session up 0.34% at $32.76,&nbsp;and is up over 6.3% this year, indicating continued investor interest in the AI sector, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro data.</a>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38630385/wanna-save-real-money-buffett-has-2-pieces-of-advice-for-cash-strapped-consumers">Wanna Save &#8216;Real Money?&#8217; Buffett Has 2 Pieces Of Advice For Cash-Strapped Consumers</a>
Photo: <a href="https://flickr.com/photos/fortunelivemedia/">Fortune Live Media</a> via flickr

Tech

Warren Buffett Fears The 'AI Genie' That's 'Part Out Of The Bottle' But Agrees It Has Potential To Do Good: 'Don't Know How That Plays Out'

Editor&#8217;s note: This story has been updated to include Warren Buffett&#8217;s explanation behind Berkshire&#8217;s current Apple stake. 
Warren Buffett&#8217;s Berkshire, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) trimmed its position in its key core holding, Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38629833/berkshire-hathaways-q1-operating-earnings-surged-39-heres-why">10-Q report for the first quarter </a>filed with the SEC on Saturday showed.
Paring Equity Bets: Berkshire&#8217;s equity securities investment dropped from $353.84 billion in Q1 2023 to $335.86 billion in Q1 2024. Sector-wise, the firm reduced its exposure to banks, insurance and finance as well as consumer products, while upping its stakes in commercial, industrial and other stocks.
The proportion of money invested in Berkshire&#8217;s five core holdings, namely Apple, Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NYSE">BAC</a>), American Express Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>), Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KO#NYSE">KO</a>) and Chevron Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>) fell from 79% in the year-ago quarter to 75%.
The comparisons vs. a year-ago are as follows:
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td>Stake (Q1&#8217;24)</td>
<td>Stake (Q1&#8217;23)</td>
<td>Change</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Apple</td>
<td>$135.4B</td>
<td>$174.3B</td>
<td>(-22.32%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bank of America</td>
<td>$39.2B</td>
<td>$34.8B</td>
<td>+12.64%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>American Express</td>
<td>$34.5B</td>
<td>$28.4B</td>
<td>+21.48%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Coca-Cola </td>
<td>$24.5B</td>
<td>$23.6B</td>
<td>+3.81%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chevron </td>
<td>$19.4B</td>
<td>$18.8B</td>
<td>+3.19%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-invest-in-startups">How To Invest In Startups</a>
The Apple Math: Apple shares have underperformed this year, shedding 4.63% for the year-to-date period and 10.82% for the first quarter. The decline came amid fears that the company&#8217;s fundamentals would deteriorate amid slow uptake of iPhones in its key China market and elsewhere.
Apple met modest expectations in the March quarter but reported a decline in revenue and earnings compared to the previous year. The company issued a June quarter forecast that was not as worse as feared. That said, investors are still skeptical as the company has not been very proactive with product improvements. Analysts have hinged hopes of a rebound on the launch of the AI-enabled iPhone 16 later this year and the company&#8217;s late entry into the AI arena.
Berkshire&#8217;s $135.4 billion Apple stake in the first quarter suggests the firm may have held 744.65 million shares at the end of the first quarter. The calculation is based on Apple&#8217;s average first-quarter stock price of $181.83. This is a 17.71% reduction from the 904.87 million Apple shares it held at the end of the fourth quarter.
The precise number of Apple shares Berkshire holds will be known when the firm files its 13F report for the first quarter with the SEC.
This marked the second straight quarter that the firm has cut its Apple stake. In the fourth quarter, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/02/37151071/warren-buffetts-apple-appetite-waning-berkshire-trims-top-holding-ditches-big-homebuilder-bulks-">the firm lightened its Apple stake by 10 million shares.</a>
Buffett&#8217;s Take: When asked at the annual shareholder meeting if his view of the economics of Apple&#8217;s business or the company&#8217;s attractiveness as an investment has changed, Buffett replied that it has not.
&#8220;Charlie [Munger] and I looked at common stocks or marketable equities &#8230; as being businesses and so when we own a Dairy Queen or whatever we own it may be, we look at it as a business,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;We can buy really wonderful companies in the market, as businesses we can&#8217;t buy all of them.&#8221;
The billionaire said he does not attempt to predict market or pick stocks. He referred to the book &#8220;Intelligent Investor&#8221; by Benjamin Graham, which says that &#8220;if you look at stocks as businesses and treat the market as something that doesn&#8217;t tell you, isn&#8217;t there to instruct you, but it&#8217;s there to serve you, you will do a lot better over time.&#8221;
This is better than taking charts and listening to people talk about moving averages, he said.
Buffett mentioned that although the approach has evolved with the company&#8217;s capital, the fundamental principle remains the same.
As such, the investment guru clarified this is the reason why Berkshire still owns Apple. 
&#8220;We will own, unless something extraordinary happens, we will own Apple, American Express and Coca-Cola when Greg [Abel] takes over this place,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;We will end up unless something dramatically happens that really changes capital allocation strategy, we will have Apple as our largest investment.&#8221;
Under current conditions, Buffett stated that he wouldn&#8217;t mind building the cash position, considering the alternatives available in the equity markets.
Apple ended Friday&#8217;s session up 5.98% at $183.38, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data. </a>Berkshire&#8217;s Class A shares fell 0.56% to $603,000.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38615551/warren-buffetts-berkshire-to-rake-in-226m-passively-in-a-jiffy-thanks-to-its-core-holding-apple">Warren Buffett&#8217;s Berkshire To Rake In $226M Passively In A Jiffy, Thanks To Its Core Holding Apple</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

AAPL

Is This Why Berkshire Reduced Apple Stake By 18% In Q1? Buffett Gives Convincing Reason.

Elon Musk&#39;s Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsla#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) has officially incorporated Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) as a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/03/37766119/whopping-33-8-million-shifted-to-robinhood-and-people-suspect-this-person-could-be-behind-">payment option, albeit with a specific limitation.</a>
What Happened: Tesla&nbsp;updated its payments <a href="https://www.tesla.com/support/dogecoin">page </a>to include Dogecoin for merchandise purchases on its online platform.
The update also hints at the possibility of Dogecoin being accepted for specific products in the future.
Tesla&#39;s association with Dogecoin is not new. In January 2022, the company first accepted the meme cryptocurrency for merchandise like the Tesla Cyberwhistle and the &quot;Giga Texas&quot; belt buckle. Later, SpaceX, another Musk-led company, followed suit.
In March 2024, Musk suggested that Tesla might accept Dogecoin payments for its electric cars while visiting the Giga factory in Berlin. This led to a 10% surge in DOGE&#39;s price, although the spike was short-lived.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/03/37573802/forget-dogecoin-and-shiba-inu-this-meme-coin-has-surged-nearly-70-in-just-24-hours" target="_blank">Forget Dogecoin And Shiba Inu &mdash; This Meme Coin Has Surged Nearly 70% In Just 24 Hours</a>
The recent announcement of Tesla&#39;s expanded use of Dogecoin has caused the meme coin&#39;s value to skyrocket by over 21% in the past 24 hours.
Why It Matters: Musk&#39;s influence on the crypto market, particularly Dogecoin, has been significant. In March 2024, <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/03/37906584/dogecoin-soars-as-elon-musks-x-payments-gains-ground-enthusiasts-rally-with-800m-boost">Dogecoin saw a remarkable $800 million increase</a> in open interest within three days, following Musk&#39;s endeavors.
However, Musk&#39;s relationship with Dogecoin has had its share of controversies.
In June 2023, <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/06/32904982/elon-musk-denies-owning-dogecoin-in-response-to-insider-trading-lawsuit">Musk denied owning Dogecoin</a> in response to a lawsuit accusing him of price manipulation. The following month, Musk was accused of financing an <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/07/33239355/elon-musk-accused-of-financing-unlawful-harassment-campaign-against-dogecoin-investors">&quot;unlawful harassment campaign&quot;&nbsp;against Dogecoin investors</a>.
Despite these controversies, Tesla&#39;s recent move to accept Dogecoin for merchandise purchases signals a continued interest in the cryptocurrency and could potentially influence its future market performance.
Now Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/03/38014531/dogecoin-set-to-surge-over-200-says-crypto-analyst-its-going-to-do-something-insane-this-c">Dogecoin Set to Surge Over 200%, Says Crypto Analyst: &#39;It&#39;s Going To Do Something Insane This Cycle</a>
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: Shutterstock

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

TSLA

Tesla's Dogecoin Adoption Sends Crypto Market Into Frenzy, Meme Coin Surges By Over 21%

The upcoming 2024 presidential race may not favor former President Donald Trump, as recent polls suggest a potential <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37937751/trump-vs-biden-one-candidate-gains-ground-in-swing-states-shakes-up-election-race">defeat against current President Joe Biden.</a>
What Happened: Two polls, <a href="https://www.faupolling.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mainstreet_US_National_Apr_2024_Public.pdf">one </a>by Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research and the other by Reuters/<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-has-marginal-1-point-lead-over-trump-reutersipsos-poll-shows-2024-03-14/">Ipsos</a>, indicate Trump lagging behind Biden.
The Florida Atlantic University poll surveyed 1,046 adults and found that 40% of voters favor Biden and 38% support Trump. When the poll was narrowed down to likely voters, Biden&#39;s lead rose to 44% against Trump&#39;s 39%.
Similarly, the Reuters/Ipsos poll, which surveyed 856 registered voters, showed a slight lead for Biden with 40% of the votes, compared to Trump&#39;s 39%. However, this lead has decreased from a four-point lead Biden had earlier in the month.
In contrast to these findings, recent polls from sources such as CNN and Bloomberg News, in collaboration with Morning Consult, indicate that Trump is ahead in six crucial swing states.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38131579/donald-trump-reportedly-hid-billionaires-bond-offer-from-court-to-save-millions" target="_blank">Donald Trump Reportedly Hid Billionaire&#39;s Bond Offer From Court To Save Millions</a>
Thomas Gift, head of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, warned against reading too much into the&nbsp;polls, and <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-joe-biden-polling-presidential-election-latest-1896865">told </a>Newsweek that Biden and Trump are &quot;neck and neck.&quot;
The presidential election is scheduled for Nov.&nbsp;5.
Why It Matters: The fluctuating poll numbers reflect a highly competitive race. A poll&nbsp;from early April showed <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38131009/trump-vs-biden-one-candidate-appears-to-have-thin-lead-over-other-in-tight-race">Trump slightly ahead of Biden</a>, indicating a deeply divided electorate.
According to another poll, <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38134467/trump-vs-biden-in-surprising-trend-one-candidate-is-gaining-favor-among-younger-voters-over-other">Trump has&nbsp;also been gaining traction </a>among younger voters, a demographic historically aligned with the Democrats.
However, a poll from late April showed a <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38476026/trump-vs-biden-one-candidate-hold-slim-lead-over-other-in-latest-poll">slim lead for Trump, indicating a tightening race</a>. The shifting poll numbers and the divided electorate suggest a closely contested election come November.
Now Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/38012721/marjorie-taylor-greene-claims-she-has-proof-that-votes-for-donald-trump-in-2020-were-lost-in-the-mai" target="_blank">Marjorie Taylor Greene Claims She Has Proof That Votes For Donald Trump In 2020 Were &#39;Lost In The Mail&#39;: &#39;I Think He&#39;ll Be Vindicated Easily&#39;</a>
This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" style="box-sizing:inherit; color:rgba(var(--sk_highlight,18,100,163),1); text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photos: Shutterstock

Trump Vs. Biden: Latest Polls Don't Bode Well For One Candidate In Tight Presidential Race

InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/idcc#NASDAQ">IDCC</a>) reported strong first-quarter 2024 results, with both the bottom line and top line surpassing the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate. The company generated higher revenues year over year, driven by solid licensing momentum in consumer electronics. 
The company inked several license agreements during the quarter, including a landmark deal with Samsung Electronics (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ssnlf#OTC">SSNLF</a>).&nbsp;IDCC is also advancing its leadership position in AI applications for wireless and video technology.
<h3>Net Income</h3>
Quarterly net income was $81.7 million or $2.88 per share, down from $105.3 million or $3.58 per share in the year-earlier quarter. Despite top-line growth, higher operating expenses led to lower net income. 
Non-GAAP net income was $94.5 million or $3.58 per share, down from $123.6 million or $4.21 per share in the year-ago quarter. The bottom line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 21 cents.
<div class="chart_embed">
<h3>InterDigital, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise <a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/chart/IDCC/price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart?icid=chart-IDCC-price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart"> <img alt="InterDigital, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/charts/78/1714729398.png" style="height:265px; width:584px" title="" /> </a></h3>
InterDigital, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | InterDigital, Inc. Quote
</div>
<h3>Revenues</h3>
Net sales in the quarter rose to $263.5 million from $202.4 million in the year-ago quarter. The 30% year-over-year improvement was induced by solid net sales growth in CE, IoT/Auto licensing programs during the quarter. The top line beat the consensus estimate of $216 million. 
In the first quarter, total recurring revenues were $96.9 million, down from $101.6 million in the year-ago quarter. Net sales marginally missed our estimate of $97.5 million. Smartphone revenues decreased 57% year over year to $80.3 million. Net sales from CE, loT/Auto increased to $182.5 million from $16.1 million in the year-ago quarter. 
Total catch-up revenues improved to $166.7 million from $100.8 million. Net sales beat our estimate of $152.6 million.
<h3>Other Details</h3>
Adjusted EBITDA decreased 16% year over year to $130.4 million. Total operating expenses rose to $159.8 million from $83.1 million in the year-ago quarter. The increase in operating costs is primarily attributed to higher licensing-related expenses. Operating income fell to $103.7 million from $119.3 million in the year-earlier quarter.
<h3>Cash Flow &amp; Liquidity</h3>
In the first quarter, InterDigital generated $50.8 million of cash from operating activities against a cash utilization of $27.9 million in the year-earlier quarter. As of Mar 31, 2024, it had $984.6 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, with $85 million of long-term debt and other long-term liabilities.
<h3>Outlook</h3>
For the second quarter of 2024, InterDigital estimates revenues to be between $93 million and $97 million. Adjusted EBITDA is expected in the band of $35-$38 million. Non-GAAP earnings are expected to be within 70-80 cents per share. 
For 2024, management anticipates revenues in the range of $620-$670 million. Adjusted EBITDA is forecasted at about $310-$345 million. Non-GAAP earnings per share are expected between $7.45 and $8.76 per share.
<h3>Zacks Rank &amp; Stocks to Consider</h3>
InterDigital currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). 
Pinterest (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pins#NYSE">PINS</a>), carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 38.78%. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 42.86%. 
Pinterest is increasingly establishing a unique value proposition to advertisers that could provide a competitive advantage in the long haul. Through various innovations, it continues to dramatically improve the advertising platform, which appears to be one of the best ad platforms for consumer discretionary brands looking for ways to reach customers and stretch smaller ad budgets. 
Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/anet#NYSE">ANET</a>), carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, is likely to benefit from strong momentum and diversification across its top verticals and product lines. The company has a software-driven, data-centric approach to help customers build their cloud architecture and enhance their cloud experience. Arista has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 17.5% and delivered an earnings surprise of 13.3%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. 
It holds a leadership position in 100-gigabit Ethernet switching share in port for the high-speed datacenter segment. Arista is increasingly gaining market traction in 200 and 400-gig high-performance switching products and remains well-positioned for healthy growth in data-driven cloud networking business with proactive platforms and predictive operations. 
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/qcom#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>), carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 7.54%. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 6.09%. 
Qualcomm Incorporated designs, manufactures and markets digital wireless telecom products and services based on the Code Division Multiple Access technology. The products include CDMA-based integrated circuits and system software for wireless voice and data communications, as well as global positioning system products.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2268021/interdigital-idcc-q1-earnings-beat-on-higher-revenues?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|earnings_article-2268021">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Earnings Beats

ANET

IDCC

PINS

QCOM

SSNLF

InterDigital Q1 Earnings Beat on Higher Revenues

Dutch financial crime investigators arrested a 26-year-old man on Monday for charges of fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering related to an alleged rug pull scheme behind the Web3 gambling network ZKasino. Investigators searched the suspect&#39;s home and seized physical and digital records, and various assets worth 11.4 million euros ($12.2 million) that include real estate and cryptocurrencies, the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service of the Netherlands (FIOD) said in a statement today.
Read the <a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/292375/dutch-authorities-arrest-zkasino?utm_source=benzinga&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=Dutch+authorities+arrest+ZKasino+team+member+amid+rug+pull+allegations">full story</a> at The Block.

Legal

Dutch Authorities Arrest ZKasino Team Member Amid Rug Pull Allegations

Logos, a decentralized and privacy-focused technology stack, inscribed its manifesto document on what is the largest-ever Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) block mined on record. The inscription was 3.99 MB in size and precedes the launch of an Ordinals collection.
Read the <a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/292403/logos-manifesto-inscription-bitcoin?utm_source=benzinga&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=Logos+inscribes+its+manifesto+on+largest-ever+Bitcoin+block">full story</a> at The Block.

Logos Inscribes its Manifesto on Largest-Ever Bitcoin Block

AMC Networks (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/amcx#NASDAQ">AMCX</a>) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended March 2024. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company&#39;s earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on May 10, 2024, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management&#39;s discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it&#39;s worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus Estimate
This owner of cable channels including AMC and IFC is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.79 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -31.7%.
Revenues are expected to be $603.82 million, down 15.8% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions Trend
The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 2.66% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Earnings Whisper
Estimate revisions ahead of a company&#39;s earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model&#39;s predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for AMC Networks?
For AMC Networks, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company&#39;s earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +14.29%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that AMC Networks will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?
While calculating estimates for a company&#39;s future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it&#39;s worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that AMC Networks would post earnings of $0.64 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.72, delivering a surprise of +12.50%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom Line
An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it&#39;s worth checking a company&#39;s Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they&#39;ve reported.
AMC Networks appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
An Industry Player&#39;s Expected Results
Among the stocks in the Zacks Broadcast Radio and Television industry, Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wbd#NASDAQ">WBD</a>)&nbsp;is soon expected to post loss of $0.24 per share for the quarter ended March 2024. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -233.3%. This quarter&#39;s revenue is expected to be $10.29 billion, down 3.8% from the year-ago quarter.
The consensus EPS estimate for Warner Bros. Discovery has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. However, a higher Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 21.61%.
When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP indicates that Warner Bros. Discovery will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company could not beat consensus EPS estimates in any of the last four quarters.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2268008/amc-networks-amcx-expected-to-beat-earnings-estimates-what-to-know-ahead-of-q1-release?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-tale_of_the_tape|yseop_template_9-2268008">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

AMCX

AMC Networks Expected to Beat Earnings Estimates: What to Know Ahead of Q1 Release

Source: <a href="https://www.streetwisereports.com/article/2024/05/02/expert-says-gold-stocks-strong-upside-momentum-will-continue.html?utm_medium=feed">Clive Maund 05/02/2024</a>
Technical Analyst Clive Maund takes a look at Perpetua Resources Corp. to explain why he believes the stock is a Buy.
Perpetua Resources Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ppta#NASDAQ">PPTA</a>) is a momentum play, and the reason why we are looking at it now is that it looks like the current strong upside momentum will continue for a while yet and if so, it will result in substantial gains over the short to medium-term and these gains will likely occur over the short-term for reasons that quickly become apparent when we look at its 6-month chart.
The story with this stock and the reason for its recent strong gains is that Perpetua Resources has received indication for up to US$1.8 billion financing from the export-import bank of the United States for Stibnite Gold Project, and a big reason for this appears to be that the mine, once constructed, will also produce large quantities of antimony that is used in munitions which currently is not produced at all in the U.S.
This funding is subject to certain conditions being met, but by the look of it, they will be. On the 6-month chart, we can see that upon this news being released, the price shot up on the 8th of this month, but after further gains, the next day resulted in it becoming extremely overbought short-term, it settled down to mark out what looks like a bull Pennant that once completed calls for a move of similar magnitude to the one leading into it. The way volume has died back steadily as this Pennant has formed indicates that it is genuine and not a top.
We can, therefore, expect another sharp towards the resistance level in the US$9 area that would result in a swift near 50% gain, and that could happen in short order given that this Pennant is now fast closing up.
<img alt="" class="No_img_class" src="https://www.theaureport.com/images/auto_up/202451112559_1.jpg" style="height:857px; width:668px" />
The 5-year chart shows us the origins of the resistance that caused the advance to halt temporarily early this month and also the origins of the resistance in the US$9 area, which is our next target.
<img alt="" class="No_img_class" src="https://www.theaureport.com/images/auto_up/202451112620_2.jpg" style="height:857px; width:676px" />
The long-term 16-year chart is interesting as it shows us that all of the action from 2013 may be regarded as marking out a giant base pattern, and if this is the case, it is not unreasonable to suppose, given the enormous upside potential of gold in the next several years, that once it succeeds in breaking above the resistance in the US$9 - US$10 area it could drive rapidly higher to equal or even exceed its 2012 highs in the US$37.50 area.
<img alt="" class="No_img_class" src="https://www.theaureport.com/images/auto_up/202451112644_3.jpg" style="height:857px; width:666px" />
Perpetua Resources is therefore rated a Buy for all timeframes that will appeal to quick-fire speculators who want to make a big gain fast, and a stop may be placed beneath the lower boundary of the Pennant, say at US$5.45, to limit loss in the (unlikely) event that it breaks down from it.
This would probably only happen in the event that EXIM says to the company, &quot;You know that money we said we were going to front you to build that mine? Well, you&#39;re not getting it.&quot;
This seems highly unlikely.
Perpetua Resources Corp.&nbsp;closed at US$5.46, CA$7.54 on Aril 30, 2024
Important Disclosures:
<ol>
<li>Perpetua Resources Corp. is a billboard sponsor of Streetwise Reports and pays SWR a monthly sponsorship fee between US$4,000 and US$5,000.</li>
<li>Clive Maund: I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector.</li>
<li>Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports, Street Smart, or their officers. The author is wholly responsible for the accuracy of the statements. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Any disclosures from the author can be found below. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy.</li>
<li>This article does not constitute investment advice and is not a solicitation for any investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her personal financial adviser and perform their own comprehensive investment research. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports&#39; terms of use and full legal disclaimer. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company.</li>
</ol>
Clivemaund.com Disclosures
The above represents the opinion and analysis of Mr. Maund, based on data available to him, at the time of writing. Mr. Maund&#39;s opinions are his own, and are not a recommendation or an offer to buy or sell securities. As trading and investing in any financial markets may involve serious risk of loss, Mr. Maund recommends that you consult with a qualified investment advisor, one licensed by appropriate regulatory agencies in your legal jurisdiction and do your own due diligence and research when making any kind of a transaction with financial ramifications. Although a qualified and experienced stock market analyst, Clive Maund is not a Registered Securities Advisor. Therefore Mr. Maund&#39;s opinions on the market and stocks cannot be only be construed as a recommendation or solicitation to buy and sell securities.

Commodities

PPTA

Expert Says Gold Stocks Strong Upside Momentum Will Continue

Robyn Denholm, the chair of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsla#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)&#39;s board of directors, pleaded with shareholders on Friday to reapprove CEO Elon Musk&#39;s $47 billion pay package, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/36925273/elon-musk-fostered-culture-of-drug-use-among-senior-leaders-at-tesla-and-spacex-report-says">which a Delaware judge had previously overturned.</a>
What Happened: Denholm made a video appeal to shareholders, stressing the vote&#39;s significance for Tesla&#39;s future. She contended that the ruling of a single judge should not supersede the collective will of Tesla&#39;s millions of owners.
Musk&#39;s pay package, valued initially at around $56 billion, has shrunk to $47 billion due to a decline in Tesla&#39;s share price. The package was scrapped following a shareholder lawsuit alleging the payout was excessive.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tesla Board Of Directors Chair Robyn Denholm has released a new video talking about the upcoming 2024 shareholder vote in June. &ldquo;We are asking your voices to be heard and to vote for these proposals.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/AmfRYo28ah">pic.twitter.com/AmfRYo28ah</a>
&mdash; Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) <a href="https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1786405686143824355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Denholm defended Musk&#39;s compensation in the video, asserting it was justly given as an incentive for Musk to reach &quot;ambitious financial and operational targets.&quot; Under Musk&#39;s stewardship, Tesla&#39;s revenues have soared from $11.8 billion to $96.8 billion, turning a $2.2 billion loss into a $15 billion profit.
In the video, Denholm said it would also&nbsp;be &quot;incredibly important for the future of the company.&quot;
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38479082/elon-musk-gives-one-word-response-to-joe-bidens-dig-at-donald-trump-at-white-house-correspondents-di">Elon Musk Gives One-Word Response To Joe Biden&#39;s Dig At Donald Trump At White House Correspondents&#39; Dinner</a>
Denholm additionally&nbsp;underscored that Musk&#39;s success has benefited all shareholders, as their shares&#39; value has surged by 1,100%. Tesla&#39;s value has increased from $53.7 billion to over $790 billion.
A shareholder vote on Musk&#39;s compensation package is scheduled at the annual 2024 shareholder meeting on June 13.
Why It Matters: This development comes in the wake of a series of disclosures by Tesla, revealing a complex network of transactions totaling $9.1 million among Musk&#39;s various enterprises, including SpaceX, X&nbsp;<a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38348400/several-companies-under-elon-musk-billed-each-other-approximately-9-million-in-expenses-raising-seri">and The Boring Company</a>. This has raised serious questions about corporate governance.
Furthermore, <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38477052/elon-musk-overtakes-zuckerberg-as-worlds-third-richest-amid-stock-market-shake-up">Musk&#39;s net worth&nbsp;recently climbed to $185 billion</a>, making him the world&#39;s third-richest billionaire, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This was largely due to a resurgence in Tesla&#39;s stock value.
These events provide a backdrop to the ongoing debate over Musk&#39;s pay package, highlighting the financial dynamics at play within Musk&#39;s business empire and his wealth.
Now Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/22/08/28661279/elon-musks-mother-maye-says-she-sleeps-in-a-garage-when-she-visits-him-1">Elon Musk&#39;s Mom Says She Sleeps In His &#39;Garage&#39; When She Visits The Tesla CEO</a>
This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" style="box-sizing:inherit; color:rgba(var(--sk_highlight,18,100,163),1); text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: Shutterstock

Tesla's Board Chair Pleads For Reapproval Of Elon Musk's Controversial $47 Billion Compensation: 'Incredibly Important For The Future Of The Company'

&#8220;I can't think of anyone else who is a greater source of meta than Donald Trump.&#8221;
Steven Steele, chief marketing officer of MAGA Memecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">TRUMP</a>), the Trump-themed cryptocurrency that has been making waves for being the former president&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38554649/how-bad-is-donald-trumps-crypto-portfolio-down-with-bitcoin-below-58k">biggest portfolio holding</a>, thinks it is &#8220;increasingly likely&#8221; the 45th president becomes the 47th president of the United States.
In that case, we could be provided with &#8220;four more years of hilarity and catalysts,&#8221; Steele told Benzinga in an interview. 
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/05/38598789/trump-vs-biden-2024-election-frontrunners-tied-in-new-poll-which-candidate-gains-in-popularity-a">Polls</a> have the former and the current presidents neck-and-neck, as have <a href="https://polymarket.com/event/presidential-election-winner-2024?tid=1714818859506">prediction markets</a>, which gave Trump a two-point edge over Joe Biden, as of May 4. 
Whether he secures a successful re-election bid or not, interest in Donald Trump will likely intensify between now and Nov. 5.
And with it, the appeal of investing in TRUMP, Steele said. He told Benzinga he cannot think of any person that will be covered more than Trump going into the election season &#8220;and probably beyond.&#8221;
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How MAGA Memecoin Turned &#8216;The Most Covered Person&#8217; Into A Cryptocurrency</h2>
Andrew Kang, a crypto venture capitalist, <a href="https://twitter.com/Rewkang/status/1754644977777258637">sees</a> Trump as &#8220;one of the best attention monopolizers in the world.&#8221;
His fund Mechanism Capital announced on Feb. 6 that it had accumulated TRUMP — the first meme coin than can &#8220;rival Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) and Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>).&#8221;
Indeed, among meme coins, MAGA Memecoin is somewhat of a pioneer. It was the first to successfully introduce a meme coin based on a real-world person or cultural phenomenon. Speculating on the attention created by certain events, such as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/11/36037143/after-munger-coins-crash-kissinger-tokens-flood-crypto-space-following-his-death-at-100">the death</a> of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, has since become a staple of the meme coin circus.
Steele, who initially was just an investor in TRUMP, said the &#8220;enormous potential&#8221; made him join as chief marketing officer. Following its inception in August 2023, TRUMP grew to a preliminary peak of $448 million in market capitalization on March 5 and is currently trading around a valuation of $220 million.
Steele attributes this rise in value to several key points:
Consistent marketing: MAGA Memecoin holds weekly spaces for its community and publishes Trump-themed memes on its X <a href="https://twitter.com/MAGAMemecoin">account</a>.
Philanthropic action: The project has donated over $1 million in Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) for 37 straight weeks to support for homeless veterans and the prevention of child trafficking. Steele pointed out this was one of key points that drew him in, with the National Veterans Homeless Support being able to scale its operation thanks to the donations.
Partnerships: MAGA Memecoin recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38299089/trump-related-maga-memecoin-onboards-roger-stone-as-partner">announced</a> it had onboarded controversial political figure and self-proclaimed &#8220;agent provocateur&#8221; Roger Stone as a partner. 
But the inevitable consequence of success is competition, a rule that applies even — or particularly — to meme coins.
Read Also: <a href="http://Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Rally, As Market Sentiment Soars On Macro Data: 'Above $67,000 We Fly Like A Bird,' Claims Trader">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Rally, As Market Sentiment Soars On Macro Data: &#8216;Above $67,000 We Fly Like A Bird,&#8217; Claims Trader</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">&#8216;To Get Unprecedented Results, You Have To Do Unprecedented Things&#8217;</h2>
In a March <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2024/03/02/trump-maga-meme-coins-are-the-first-experiment-in-polifi/">interview</a> with Coindesk, Steele said he wants TRUMP &#8220;up there with a DOGE or SHIB, that kind of scale and market cap and popularity.&#8221; 
Asked how to make that a reality, Steele told Benzinga, &#8220;To get unprecedented results, you have to do unprecedented things.&#8221; 
Signing Stone is one example of that, Steele pointed out, as it brought MAGA Memecoin a lot of &#8220;normie&#8221; investors that bought TRUMP as their first cryptocurrency. 
But since Steele&#8217;s March interview, the political meme coin landscape has changed. TRUMP isn&#8217;t the only politicial meme coin anymore. 
In fact, it currently isn&#8217;t even the biggest one. BODEN (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">BODEN</a>) a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38077441/jeo-boden-meme-coin-clocks-new-all-time-high-on-56-daily-surge-1b-market-cap-is-absolute-f">meme coin parodying Biden</a> with intentionally poor spelling and cartoons, has recorded an astronomic surge to over $700 million in market capitalization and is currently trading at a valuation of around $290 million. The emergence of a quasi-rival has even sparked a <a href="https://polymarket.com/event/trump-vs-boden-first-to-1b?tid=1714822446721">prediction market</a> about which meme coin would get to $1 billion first (BODEN is leading TRUMP 54% to 46%).
Steele told Benzinga he is aware of the coin —&nbsp;and others that have boarded the &#8220;PoliFi&#8221; meta —&nbsp;but isn&#8217;t worried by or interested in them.
Indeed, a de facto rivalry between the two meme coins, similar to that between Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, could be positive and create more interest and loyalty among holders.
But what does the man whose face is on the memes powering MAGA Memecoin think of all of this?
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38611669/dogecoin-is-primed-for-higher-but-pepe-is-on-a-moon-mission-exclaims-trader">Dogecoin Is &#8216;Primed For Higher&#8217; But Pepe Is &#8216;On A Moon Mission,&#8217; Exclaims Trader</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">&#8216;More Than Enough Reasons To Believe&#8217; Trump Knows Of TRUMP</h2>
Donald Trump&#8217;s stance on Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and crypto has shifted from considering them a &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/21/09/22753280/former-us-president-donald-trump-crypto-is-a-disaster-waiting-to-happen?utm_campaign=partner_feed&amp;utm_source=yahooFinance&amp;utm_medium=partner_feed&amp;utm_content=site">disaster waiting to happen</a>&#8221; and being &#8220;not a big fan&#8221; in 2021 to now expressing enjoyment with crypto and the &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38048368/donald-trump-says-hes-making-money-from-crazy-new-currencies-which-cryptos-does-he-hold">crazy new currencies</a>&#8221; apart from Bitcoin.
Steele thinks there are &#8220;more than enough reasons to believe&#8221; the former president is aware of the meme coin his personality started, especially considering Stone was a consultant for Trump&#8217;s 2016 campaign. He suggested that Trump may have been referring to MAGA Memecoin in his mention of &#8220;crazy new currencies.&#8221;
Steele also shared that Trump is aware and a fan of Shawn Farash, the host of the project&#8217;s weekly spaces and a proficient Trump impersonator.
<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">TRUMP&#39;S UNCENSORED THOUGHTS ON THE BRAGG TRIAL!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Trump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MAGA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MAGA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GagOrder?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GagOrder</a> <a href="https://t.co/FLUArTXSic">pic.twitter.com/FLUArTXSic</a>
&mdash; Shawn Farash &#x274c;&#x1f43b; (@Shawn_Farash) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shawn_Farash/status/1783881021223501955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Trump&#8217;s allocation of TRUMP was an intentional &#8220;strategically savvy and hilarious&#8221; move by the project to promote the coin. And, just as planned, it has since become Trump&#8217;s biggest holding.
But what if Trump sells &#8220;his bag&#8221; of MAGA Memecoin? If the meme coin were to appreciate going into the election season, Trump&#8217;s current holdings of $2.73 million may prompt him to think about cashing out.
Steele acknowledged the possibility but does not see it as a problem. Similar to the 2021 incident when Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/21/05/21144678/ethereum-co-founder-vitalik-buterin-burns-410-trillion-shiba-inu-tokens-is-the-dogecoin-cl">sold and donated</a> his allocation of SHIB, Steele thinks it may even have a positive impact on MAGA Memecoin.
Whether TRUMP can really become, as Andrew Kang <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/02/36945628/first-memecoin-ive-seen-that-can-rival-dogeshib-crypto-fund-buys-trump-token">said</a>, the first meme coin to break the reign of dog-themed incumbents remains to be seen. Meme coins like Pepe (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">PEPE</a>) and dogwifhat (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">WIF</a>) — yet another dog coin — hold a substantial lead over political meme coins. 
But when considering the combination of the &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38479551/is-the-memecoin-supercycle-over-mad-crypto-alpha-with-ivan">memecoin supercycle</a>&#8221; with the &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/36925192/biden-says-2024-race-is-weirdest-campaign-ive-ever-engaged-in-as-trump-oddly-compares-his-looks-to-e">weirdest campaign</a>&#8221; the incumbent president has ever been in, who knows what may happen between now and November?
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38603980/trump-says-london-paris-no-longer-recognizable-we-cant-let-that-happen-here">Trump Says London, Paris No Longer Recognizable: &#8216;We Can&#8217;t Let That Happen Here&#8217;</a>
Image created using artificial intelligence with Midjourney

$BODEN

$ETH

$SHIB

$TRUMP

EXCLUSIVE: Trump-Themed MAGA Memecoin Plans To Rival Dogecoin And Shiba Inu With 'Four More Years Of Catalysts'

Donald Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38584504/trump-could-face-more-gag-orders-in-hush-money-trial-report">New York hush-money case</a> and the U.S. Supreme Court&#8217;s hearing on his presidential immunity have been front and center in recent days, even as the former president is in a close race with President Joe Biden to occupy the White House for a second term. Mary Trump, a clinical psychologist and the niece of the former president weighed in on the case, in an interview on Thursday.
What Happened: Donald Trump&#8217;s two faces were evident amid the trial proceedings last week, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RI4mr-wIKw">said </a>Mary Trump in an MSNBC interview. 
&#8220;Last week we heard a lot about the split-screen Donald Trump, criminal defendant in a New York City criminal courtroom and then the Supreme Court hearing arguments about whether or not Donald should be immune from any kind of prosecution because apparently members of the Supreme Court think he is a monarch or something,&#8221; she said.
The more crucial concern people should be vigilant about is the split screen of him being the presidential candidate and an &#8220;anti-American authoritarian wannabe,&#8221; she added.
&#8220;The problem is we are seeing these as being treated as two entirely different people,&#8221; Mary Trump said, adding that &#8220;it&#8217;s a the fact that he is a criminal defendant, the fact that he has committed allegedly crimes against the United States of America, have no impact whatsoever on his relevance or his standing as a candidate for the presidency.&#8221;
This is because &#8220;there&#8217;s always a way out for him. There&#8217;s always somebody willing to bail him out even if it looks like there&#8217;s no escape,&#8221; she said. This was seen last week, she added. 
The psychologist, podcaster and author also said she has one particular concern. 
&#8220;As deep the trouble is that he is in, it may not be enough,&#8221; she said.
Mary Trump said her uncle&#8217;s personality is such that he is incredibly good at &#8220;pushing the envelope and pulling back in those rare instances in which he gets pushed back.&#8221; 
&#8220;When he pushes the envelope, he breaks norms, he defies expectations and he gets away with it. Being who he is, he pushes the envelope some more to see what else he can get away with,&#8221; she said.
It is in those instances Donald Trump normalizes outrageous and egregious behavior, she added.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38585021/biden-vs-trump-battle-sees-one-candidate-maintaining-slender-lead-while-other-made-inroads-with-this"> Biden Vs. Trump Battle Sees One Candidate Maintaining Slender Lead While Other Made Inroads With This Key Voter Category</a>
Mary Trump also said it is the duty of the press to step up. She emphasized that her uncle explicitly stated his intentions to become an authoritarian, strip away women&#8217;s rights, and say whatever he needs to regain power.
&#8220;Once that happens, he will not be stopped,&#8221; she said. 
Mary Trump advised that for those running against Donald Trump, he should be consistently ridiculed. She observed this approach in the courtroom, noting his difficulty in handling the circumstances and his lack of power in that environment.
Mary Trump also asserted that her uncle was selfish and unconcerned about the other individuals trapped in the courtroom with him due to his actions.
More Setbacks: Mary Trump noted that, for the nine instances of gag order violations in the first week of the hush-money trial, Donald Trump was fined $9,000 and warned of imprisonment for any further violations. Prosecutors have submitted four more violations since then, she added.
Mary Trump mentioned that Acting Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan might not yet jail the former president for these four violations, as they occurred before Donald Trump was held in contempt. However, she did not rule out the possibility of incarceration if another violation occurs.
She also highlighted rumors about Donald Trump&#8217;s legal team representing his presidential campaign for a 2016 incident wanting to drop him as a client.
&#8220;The law firm, LaRocca, Hornik, Greenberg, Kittredge, Carlin &amp; McPartland, cited an &#8216;irreparable breakdown in the attorney-client relationship&#8217; as the reason for their request to withdraw,&#8221; Mary Trump said.
Last week, Los Angeles attorney <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38604557/trumps-hush-money-trial-lawyer-who-represented-stormy-daniels-reveals-payment-details-reads-out-fund">Keith Davidson took the stand again</a> to discuss the deal he had brokered between the plaintiff Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump&#8217;s ex-attorney Michael Cohen to keep Donald Trump's affair with Daniels a secret from voters, she further noted.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-real-estate-stocks-right-now">Best Real Estate Stocks Right Now</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Trump's Niece Says Ex-President Has Made It Clear He Wants To Be Authoritarian Upon Returning To Office: 'Once That Happens, He Will Not Be Stopped'

Tuesday's news that the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/04/38530190/breaking-dea-reportedly-moves-to-reschedule-cannabis-stocks-rise-sharply-on-the-news">DEA will move to reclassify marijuana</a> as a less dangerous drug after five decades of being in the same classification as heroin, meth and LSD has roiled some Republican opponents. One in particular, Tennessee&#8217;s Bill Hagerty, sees the move as opening the door to social decay, or worse.
Hagerty accused the Democrats of pursuing policies that are pro-criminal and anti-American, warning that such measures would only serve to exacerbate crime rates on American streets.
Lambasting the Democrats' efforts to undertake marijuana policy reform, Hagerty singled out Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
"What the Joe Biden administration — what Leader Schumer — is trying to do is basically stimulate more crime on American streets," Hagerty said. "Here we have Chuck Schumer basically lowering the barriers for gateway drugs like marijuana, and it's going to damage society, and this is exactly what Democrats have been pushing. This is not good for America."
In a hallway interview on Thursday, Fox News reporter Tyler Olson asked Hagerty about the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/secure-and-fair-enforcement-safe-banking-act">Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act</a>, which is designed to shield financial institutions that deal with state-licensed marijuana businesses. Hagerty, a member of the Senate Banking and Foreign Relations Committees, dismissed banking reform as enabling a conducive environment for more drug usage in America, saying the U.S. needs to curb rather than encourage drug consumption.
Hagerty then went back to criticizing the Democrats&#8217; motives behind the push for cannabis legalization, which he branded as completely political and geared towards garnering support from a niche demographic ahead of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/2024-election">November 2024 elections</a>, rather than addressing broader concerns facing the country.
"If you look at American sentiment, everyone says that America is moving in the wrong direction. But what they're [the Democrats] trying to do is pick off minor issues like this, encouraging drug abuse, frankly. It's obscene that this would be happening," he said.
Hagerty then took another shot at Schumer. "But this is Chuck Schumer's perspective on basically putting another sliver of the Biden fragmented population together to vote for him. It's a shame. Democrats are willing to do anything to maintain power here in Washington."
Despite the increasing trend of states — even traditionally conservative ones like <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/montana-cannabis">Montana</a> — moving towards marijuana legalization, Hagerty has remained steadfast in his opposition. He adamantly rejected the notion of establishing any regulatory framework that would facilitate what he viewed as a harmful culture of drug abuse.
Don Murphy, legalization advocate and co-founder of the American Cannabis Collective&nbsp;(ACC) posted the interview on X.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This is Exhibit A why I thought the <a href="https://twitter.com/DEAHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DEAHQ</a> should announce <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Schedule3?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Schedule3</a> (fwiw, S3 was leaked not announced) on a Friday prior to a recess. Unless they wanted the GOP to embarrass themselves…<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAFEBanking?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAFEBanking</a> Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/TylerOlson1791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TylerOlson1791</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FoxNews</a> for the questions. <a href="https://twitter.com/AmericanCCo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmericanCCo</a> (Also… <a href="https://t.co/9JQj8LaQFm">pic.twitter.com/9JQj8LaQFm</a>
&mdash; Don Murphy (@donmurphy12a) <a href="https://twitter.com/donmurphy12a/status/1786055582102811042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Come join us at the 19th Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago on Oct. 8 and 9 where we&#8217;ll certainly be discussing these critical issues. It is an essential gathering for innovators eager to lead in the cannabis industry's evolution.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/benzinga-capital-conference-cannabis-fall-2024-tickets-858948065787?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get your tickets now</a>&nbsp;before prices surge by following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/benzinga-capital-conference-cannabis-fall-2024-tickets-858948065787?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this link</a>.
Photo: Courtesy of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pexels.com/@alesiakozik/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Alesia Kozik&nbsp;</a>on Pexels

Regulations

GOP Senator Bashes Dems' Push For Marijuana Legalization As Pro-Criminal & Anti-American: 'It's Obscene'

Billionaire investor and investment guru Warren Buffett is admired by novices and experts alike <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/05/38616231/warren-buffett-shares-a-secret-weapon-for-success-weve-done-better-by-avoiding-dragons-than-by-s">for his sound financial advice.</a> On Saturday, he shared some pearls of wisdom via a message he released through a letter.
Skimping Costs: Starting off his <a href="https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/message.html">message</a> with a warning that he doesn&#8217;t make stock recommendations, Buffett said consumers can rely on the services of two of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) subsidiary companies GEICO and Borsheim&#8217;s.
&#8220;I have two thoughts regarding your personal expenditures that can save you real money,&#8221; he said.
About 40% of the auto drivers in the U.S. can save money by insuring with GEICO, Buffett said. The figure is not 100% because insurers differ in their underwriting judgments, with &#8220;some favoring drivers who live in certain geographical areas and work in certain occupations more than GEICO does,&#8221; he said.
The billionaire added that GEICO mostly offers &#8220;the low price than does any other national carrier selling insurance to all comers.&#8221; 
Buffett additionally recommended luxury jeweler Borsheims. 
&#8220;Fine jewelry, watches and giftware will almost certainly cost you less at [Borsheims],&#8221; he said. 
&#8220;Our one-store operation, with its huge volume, enables us to operate with costs that are fully 15-20 percentage points below those incurred by our competitors. We pass the benefits of this low-cost structure along to our customers,&#8221; Buffett said.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-retail-stocks">Best Retail Stocks Right Now</a>
Why It&#8217;s Important: Buffett&#8217;s recommendation, though self-promotional, may come in handy for cash-strapped consumers, who are <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38228298/market-turmoil-resumes-as-inflation-rises-more-than-expected-oil-prices-spike-gold-at-record-hig">struggling in an inflationary environment.</a> Consumer price inflation has remained elevated despite the cooling off seen since the June 2022 peak.
Consumers, who fuel two-thirds of the economic activity, are also left to contend with job cuts as companies restructure and right-size in a bid to survive in an inclement economic environment.
So far, spending has held up despite the uncertainties as consumers dip back into their savings and live on credit.
The SPDR S&amp;P Retail ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XRT#NYSE">XRT</a>) rose 1.28% to $73.42 on Friday, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data.</a>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38629833/berkshire-hathaways-q1-operating-earnings-surged-39-heres-why">Berkshire Hathaway&#8217;s Q1 Operating Earnings Surged 39% — Here&#8217;s Why</a>
Photo: flickr

Education

Personal Finance

Wanna Save 'Real Money?' Buffett Has 2 Pieces Of Advice For Cash-Strapped Consumers

Canadian businessman&nbsp;Greg Abel&nbsp;is anticipated to take over the helm of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/brk-a#NYSE">BRK-A</a>) from Warren Buffett and appears to have&nbsp;the full backing of at least one board member ahead of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37193641/warren-buffetts-empire-nears-trillion-dollar-club-as-class-a-shares-hit-above-600-000">firm&#39;s annual shareholders meeting on Saturday</a>.
What Happened: According to a <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/buffett-berkshire-hathaway-greg-abel-b2539545.html">report</a> by The Independent, Berkshire board member Ron Olson expressed confidence in Abel&#39;s capabilities to succeed Buffett.
Olson lauded Abel&#39;s grasp of the core principles that have steered Buffett and his dedication to managing Berkshire conservatively to ensure the company&#39;s financial stability.
Olson also believes that Abel&#39;s leadership will not deter business owners from selling their firms to Berkshire, as reported by the outlet.
He dismissed worries that the public legal dispute with the Haslam family over the final price of the Pilot truck stop chain last year would affect future transactions.
&ldquo;Greg is not somebody who is going to be as likely to create the kind of following in the press that I think Warren has had,&rdquo; Olson told The Independent. &ldquo;On the other hand. I have every reason to believe that he will run the companies that we have the responsibility for in the same way that Warren ran them.&rdquo;
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38476079/warren-buffetts-real-estate-firm-coughs-up-250m-to-avoid-bigger-payout-over-commissions">Warren Buffett&#39;s Real Estate Firm Coughs Up $250M To Avoid Bigger Payout Over Commissions</a>
Abel, known for maintaining a low profile, will field questions alongside Buffett during the shareholders meeting on Saturday. He has supervised all of Berkshire&#39;s non-insurance businesses for several years.
Despite the significant passing&nbsp;of Buffett&#39;s longtime partner Charlie Munger&nbsp;last fall, Olson said he is confident that Abel and Ajit Jain, who oversees the insurance businesses, will continue Buffett&#39;s and&nbsp;Munger&#39;s&nbsp;legacies.
Why It Matters: In May 2023,<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/05/32256501/warren-buffett-reaffirms-greg-abel-as-berkshire-hathaway-heir">&nbsp;Buffett confirmed&nbsp;Abel as his successor</a> at Berkshire Hathaway. During the company&#39;s annual shareholder meeting, Buffett stated that he was &quot;100% comfortable&quot; with his decision and suggested that the transition would largely be business as usual.
&quot;Greg understands capital allocation as well as I do. That&#39;s lucky for us,&quot; Buffett said.
Now Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/08/33936436/here-are-the-eyebrow-raising-moves-warren-buffett-michael-burry-and-bill-ackman-made-recently" target="_blank">Here Are The Eyebrow-Raising Moves Warren Buffett, Michael Burry And Bill Ackman Made Recently</a>
This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" style="box-sizing:inherit; color:rgba(var(--sk_highlight,18,100,163),1); text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo:&nbsp;<a href="https://flickr.com/photos/196993421@N03/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1714830062208_12297" rel="author" title="Go to Alpha Photo's photostream">Alpha Photo</a>&nbsp;via flickr

BRK-A

Berkshire Board Member Expresses Confidence In Warren Buffett's Successor Greg Abel: 'He Will Run The Companies ... In The Same Way That Warren Ran Them'

Fire & Flower GAAP EPS of -C$0.22, revenue of C$43.1M

Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. 2023 Q1 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation

Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. (FFLWF) Q1 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

In a report released on May 16, Andrew Semple from Echelon Wealth Partners reiterated a Buy rating on Fire & Flower Holdings (FFLWF – Research Repo...