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Hempstract Inc is engaged in developing and marketing CBD-based products and solutions. The product portfolio includes CBD Isolate, Hemp oil, and other related products.

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It’s not just Congressional wannabes who invent lies about themselves to impress naïve voters and dupe their own party, it seems such posers have seeped into the cannabis industry as well. And, they&#39;re not just enhancing their resumé, they&#39;re stealing loads of money.

Fake Cannabis Tycoon Admits To $35M Fraudulent Scheme

Hempstract Inc

Google Deepmind&nbsp;CEO, Demis Hassabis, commended that DeepSeek&#8217;s AI model is &#8220;probably the best work&#8221; to have surfaced from China. Despite praising the model, Hassabis clarified that it did not constitute a significant technological breakthrough.
What Happened: At a Google-hosted event in Paris preceding the AI Action Summit, DeepMind CEO, Demis Hassabis expressed that the DeepSeek AI can do "extremely good engineering" and that it "changes things on a geopolitical scale.", <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/09/deepseeks-ai-model-the-best-work-out-of-china-google-deepmind-ceo.html">CNBC </a>reported. 
However, Hassabis added that "despite the hype, there's no actual new scientific advance … it's using known techniques [in AI]." According to him, the hype around Deepseek has been "exaggerated a little bit."
Hassabis questioned DeepSeek&#8217;s claims regarding its low costs and the chips it utilizes. DeepSeek had earlier proclaimed that its AI model was developed at a fraction of the cost of leading AI players and utilized less advanced Nvidia chips. This revelation triggered a substantial stock sell-off and ignited a discussion over the high spending of large tech firms on AI infrastructure.
Regarding artificial general intelligence (AGI), Hassabis stated&nbsp;that the AI industry is&nbsp;&#8220;on the path towards AGI,&#8221;&nbsp;and suggested that we may be only around five years away from a&nbsp;system that exhibits all the&nbsp;cognitive capabilities humans have.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43014233/google-expands-collaboration-with-associated-press-to-deliver-up-to-date-information-in-gemini-ai-app">Google Expands Collaboration With Associated Press To Deliver Up-To-Date Information In Gemini AI App</a>
Why It Matters: Hassabis&#8217; comments align with Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) CEO Sundar Pichai <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43487551/sundar-pichai-acknowledges-deepseeks-ai-advancementsbut-says-googles-gemini-still-leads-in-cost-performance-and-latency">who acknowledged the progress made by DeepSeek</a> but maintained that Google&#8217;s Gemini remains superior in efficiency, cost, and performance. Hassabis also considers Google&#8217;s newly launched Gemini 2.0 Flash Models as more efficient than even Deepmind&#8217;s model. 
In another instance, ex-Google researcher and CEO of Cohere, Aidan Gomez told Business Insider that DeepSeek&#8217;s R1 is &#8220;a really impressive release&#8221;. However, he doesn&#8217;t believe that it should be a viable option for businesses.
Interestingly, Chinese tech companies are witnessing a surge after the DeepSeek launch which gaining an edge over its US tech counterparts in terms of valuation. On Feb.6, Bloomberg Data suggested that the Hang Seng Tech Index had an average price-to-earnings ratio of 20.5 times, compared to the Mag. 7 giants that <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/quote/meta" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>traded at an average of 41.4 times.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/02/43573186/china-tech-etfs-surge-as-deepseek-led-ai-boom-fuels-bull-market">China Tech ETFs Surge As DeepSeek-Led AI Boom Fuels Bull Market</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Tech

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Google DeepMind CEO Calls DeepSeek AI 'Best Work' From China, But Says Hype Is Overblown: 'There's No Actual New Scientific Advance'

In a recent interview with YouTuber Modern Day Eratosthenes, Microsoft Corp.&#8217;s co-founder Bill Gates criticized Tesla Inc.&#8217;s Elon Musk and Amazon.com Inc.&#8217;s Jeff Bezos for prioritizing space exploration over real-world crises.
What Happened: Gates argues that While they spend billions on Mars colonies and space tourism, their money would be better spent addressing urgent global issues like hunger, disease, and climate change. "Rich people can do whatever they want&#8230; but I do think malnourishment is the worst thing there is," he said.
Space vs. Real-World Problems: For Gates, issues on Earth deserve far more attention than space exploration. "Farmers&#8230; they're experiencing climate change, which will mean sometimes too much rain, sometimes drought," he noted, emphasizing the urgent need for solutions.
He also highlighted the staggering human cost of mosquito-borne diseases, stating, "Nobody who has money has malaria," which is why he believes these issues receive far less funding than space ventures. "With mosquitoes, it's still like 600,000 [deaths] a year," he said, highlighting the scale of the problem.
While he acknowledges that some space technology has value — such as SpaceX's reusable rockets, which lower launch costs — he remains skeptical of long-term space ambitions. In his view, billionaire resources would be better spent addressing immediate crises on Earth rather than funding extravagant space projects.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/12/42479974/us-lenders-file-joint-lawsuit-against-consumer-finance-watchdog-for-capping-overdraft-fees-wells-fargo-jpmorgan-citigroup-stocks-in-focus">US Lenders File Joint Lawsuit Against Consumer Finance Watchdog For Capping Overdraft Fees: Wells Fargo, JPMorgan, Citigroup Stocks In Focus</a>
Why It Matters: Gates dismissed Musk's vision of a Mars colony as impractical, saying, "It's not a very hospitable place." He also aimed at Bezos' plans for space stations, suggesting they serve more as billionaire hobbies than meaningful contributions to humanity.
"Some people like more artificial satellites that you could put people on. People like Jeff Bezos are into that," he said.
While Musk and Bezos push for interplanetary expansion, Gates sees their priorities as misplaced. "I put my money into things like getting rid of malaria and measles and polio," he said, contrasting his focus with their space ambitions.
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43581896/analyst-who-nailed-2021-crypto-collapse-now-says-worst-of-bitcoin-could-come-in-next-few-weeks">Analyst Who Nailed 2021 Crypto Collapse Now Says Worst Of Bitcoin Could Come In Next Few Weeks</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and reviewed by Benzinga editors before publication.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Bill Gates Slams Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos: 'Rich People Can Do Whatever They Want… But Malnourishment Is the Worst Thing There Is'

BMO Capital analyst Phillip Jungwirth initiates coverage on Flowco Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLOC#NYSE">FLOC</a>) with a Outperform rating and announces Price Target of $33.

Price Target

Initiation

Analyst Ratings

FLOC

BMO Capital Initiates Coverage On Flowco Holdings with Outperform Rating, Announces Price Target of $33

Former Coinbase technology chief Balaji Srinivasan has joined a growing chorus of tech leaders and politicians advocating for Ron Paul to lead the Federal Reserve, highlighting renewed interest in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42377089/ron-paul-wants-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-led-doge-to-eliminate-this-program-of-immoral-transfer-of-wealth">former congressman&#8217;s anti-Fed stance</a>.
What Happened: The discussion gained momentum after Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) posted on X, formerly Twitter, asking followers to support Paul as Federal Reserve chairman. Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk endorsed the idea, responding to a suggestion that Paul should lead a Federal Reserve audit team.
Srinivasan, a prominent Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) advocate and Silicon Valley investor, shared an image of Paul&#8217;s 2009 book &#8220;End the Fed&#8221; with the caption &#8220;Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come.&#8221; The book criticizes the Federal Reserve System and advocates for its abolition on constitutional and economic grounds.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come. <a href="https://t.co/y3dmtU8UYQ">https://t.co/y3dmtU8UYQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/A0Wls1DZpW">pic.twitter.com/A0Wls1DZpW</a>
&mdash; Balaji (@balajis) <a href="https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1888680721365287185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
This trend coincides with more general debates concerning the leadership of the Federal Reserve. Originally nominated to the Fed Board of Governors by former President Barack Obama, current Fed Chair Jerome Powell was chosen to run the central bank by President Donald Trump in early 2018. Powell has declared his intention to serve out his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/41849984/powell-brushes-off-trumps-removal-threat-economists-say-2026-could-be-his-last-stand">entire tenure through 2026</a>.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43585332/trump-orders-scott-bessent-to-rip-the-waste-out-ends-penny-production-after-elon-musks-doge-report">Trump Orders Scott Bessent To &#8216;Rip The Waste Out,&#8217; Ends Penny Production After Elon Musk&#8217;s DOGE Report</a>
Why It Matters: The conversation around Paul&#8217;s potential role extends beyond the Fed chairmanship. Musk previously expressed interest in having Paul join the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump campaign initiative aimed at cutting federal spending. Paul, while open to helping reduce government spending, has indicated he doesn&#8217;t seek <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41698615/elon-musk-says-would-be-great-to-have-former-congressman-and-fed-critic-ron-paul-in-department-of-go">an official position</a>.
Paul, known for his fiscal conservatism, recently criticized U.S. foreign aid practices, calling them an &#8220;immoral transfer of wealth&#8221; and arguing they redirect funds from American citizens to wealthy <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42377089/ron-paul-wants-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-led-doge-to-eliminate-this-program-of-immoral-transfer-of-wealth">entities in poorer nations</a>.
The renewed attention on Paul&#8217;s monetary policy views comes as the DOGE initiative targets potential federal spending cuts of up to $2 trillion, though experts project more modest savings of $50-100 billion annually against a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42377089/ron-paul-wants-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-led-doge-to-eliminate-this-program-of-immoral-transfer-of-wealth">projected $1.7 trillion deficit in 2024</a>.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43582928/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-as-investors-prepare-for-crucial-cpi-ppi-data-top-analyst-anticipates-a-strong-week-for-crypto">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Flat As Investors Prepare For Crucial Inflation Data: Top Analyst Says This Week Comparable To Any &#8216;Crisis&#8217; Period But You Should Be Bullish</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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

Cryptocurrency

Federal Reserve

$BTC

Bitcoin Advocate Balaji Pushes 'End The Fed' Author Ron Paul For Central Bank Chair Amid Elon Musk's Support: 'Nothing Can Stop An Idea...'

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Catherine Mealor upgrades Wesbanco (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WSBC#NASDAQ">WSBC</a>) from Market Perform to Outperform and raises the price target from $40 to $44.

Upgrades

WSBC

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Upgrades Wesbanco to Outperform, Raises Price Target to $44

<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=7GYlbST4D1MUi9iMD5inIgUErNsz6C4CZGCaevjxxwVlCp4fPTPD6zGmRfCtOWAcocG0FB1x3md5I1wd92EUSSH0VgyKKdPgkSS6P3jhnmI=">Royal Philips</a> (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PHG#NYSE">PHG</a>, AEX: PHIA))), a global leader in health technology, in collaboration with the World Bank and Ukraine's Ministry of Health (MOH), today announced a nationwide initiative to modernize stroke and cardiovascular care in Ukraine. The demand for stroke care in Ukraine is nearly doubling, exacerbated by war damage and displaced populations lacking access to timely care. This program – which is already well on its way – aims to address these immense challenges by creating an advanced network of locations for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke.
The joint initiative delivers advanced image-guided therapy systems optimized for acute stroke treatment to key regions, including Dnipro, Sumy, Kharkiv, Lviv, Zaporizhzha and Odesa. Philips is deploying 25 of its Azurion interventional suites to support minimally invasive stroke treatments. These systems support complex neurovascular procedures, such as thrombectomies&#x2A;, which can reverse stroke effects. The systems integrate software tools and technologies to accelerate procedures and enhance care coordination. Together, these innovations streamline care pathways, reduce treatment delays and improve patient outcomes. Philips is working with its partner, AFS Medizintechnik, to roll out systems across the country. So far, 19 systems have been installed and are already helping Ukrainian physicians provide optimized care to their stroke patients.

Government

Regulations

Philips Joins Forces With World Bank and Ukraine to Modernize Stroke and Heart Care

&nbsp;<a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4358137-1&amp;h=3676430497&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cognizant.com%2Fuk%2Fen&amp;a=Cognizant+(Nasdaq%3A+CTSH)">Cognizant (NASDAQ:</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTSH#NASDAQ">CTSH</a>)&nbsp;today announced the renewal of its relationship with KBC Group, a leading Belgian universal multi-channel bank-insurer.
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This renewal of the agreement will extend until 2027, positioning Cognizant as KBC Group's partner in supporting its IT and business transformation across the entire spectrum of IT services, including application development &amp; maintenance, data services, infrastructure, and quality engineering.

CTSH

KBCSY

Cognizant Extends Partnership With Belgian Bank-Insurer KBC Group to Enhance IT Services and Innovation Through 2027

As we enter a new week, the cryptocurrency market presents both opportunities and risks for investors seeking short-term gains. Market indicators, though not foolproof, can help investors make informed decisions in this volatile environment.
What happened: Meme coins like 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>) invariably remain on investors' radar because of their high valuations and impressive gains over the years.
DOGE and SHIB <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43583729/bitcoin-dogecoin-made-amends-last-week-but-litecoin-grabbed-spotlight-with-25-gains">rose 9.19% and 9.85%</a>, respectively, last week. Technical indicators gave mixed signals for the two meme heavyweights.
The Momentum indicator, which compares the short-term price and long-term price, flashed a &#8220;Buy&#8221; signal for both SHIB and DOGE, <a href="https://in.tradingview.com/symbols/DOGEUSD/technicals/">according </a>to TradingView.
On the other hand, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator, which compares two exponential moving averages of price, flashed a &#8220;Sell&#8221; signal.
The Bull Bear Power indicator, which measures the strength of buyers and sellers, was "Neutral" for both SHIB and DOGE.
On the derivatives front, over 50% of Dogecoin traders were betting against its price increase, while 52% of SHIB traders were long on the meme coin, <a href="https://www.coinglass.com/LongShortRatio">according</a> to Coinglass.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43454192/microstrategys-convertible-bonds-a-better-choice-than-spot-bitcoin-for-inclusion-in-sovereign-wealth-fund-says-analyst">Trump-Announced Wealth Fund Should Choose MicroStrategy Bonds Over Bitcoin, Analyst Says</a>
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's meme coin, Official Trump (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">TRUMP</a>), plunged over 10% over the last week, affecting its speculative interest.
TRUMP's Open Interest fell by 9% in the last 24 hours, with the majority of its futures traders placing bearish short positions.
XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>), the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, rallied over 10% in the last week. Its Momentum indicator and the Stochastic Relative Strength Index, which measures the level of the Relative Strength Index relative to its high-low range over a period, both flashed a "Buy" signal.&nbsp;
That said, the MACD indicator painted a bearish short-term picture for the cryptocurrency.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43581896/analyst-who-nailed-2021-crypto-collapse-now-says-worst-of-bitcoin-could-come-in-next-few-weeks">Analyst Who Nailed 2021 Crypto Collapse Now Says Worst Of Bitcoin Could Come In Next Few Weeks</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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DOGE

TRUMP, SHIB, DOGE or XRP — What's Your Best Bet In A New Trading Week? Here's What The Indicators Tell Us

<h3>Companies Reporting Before The Bell</h3>
• Hain Celestial Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HAIN#NASDAQ">HAIN</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.12 per share on revenue of $431.01 million. 
• Monday.Com (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MNDY#NASDAQ">MNDY</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.79 per share on revenue of $261.34 million. 
• Tower Semiconductor (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSEM#NASDAQ">TSEM</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.53 per share on revenue of $387.09 million. 
• Edgewell Personal Care (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EPC#NYSE">EPC</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.12 per share on revenue of $480.16 million. 
• McDonald's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCD#NYSE">MCD</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $2.86 per share on revenue of $6.48 billion. 
• Incyte (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INCY#NASDAQ">INCY</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.55 per share on revenue of $1.15 billion. 
• CSP (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSPI#NASDAQ">CSPI</a>) is estimated to report earnings for its first quarter. 
• Ispire Technology (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ISPR#NASDAQ">ISPR</a>) is likely to report quarterly loss at $0.03 per share on revenue of $59.50 million. 
• Motorcar Parts of America (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MPAA#NASDAQ">MPAA</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.43 per share on revenue of $179.50 million. 
• Roivant Sciences (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROIV#NASDAQ">ROIV</a>) is likely to report quarterly loss at $0.22 per share on revenue of $5.00 million. 
• Insperity (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NSP#NYSE">NSP</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.02 per share on revenue of $1.60 billion. 
• GCM Grosvenor (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GCMG#NASDAQ">GCMG</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.23 per share on revenue of $158.60 million. 
• Rockwell Automation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROK#NYSE">ROK</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $1.67 per share on revenue of $1.88 billion. 
• PowerFleet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIOT#NASDAQ">AIOT</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.05 per share on revenue of $99.43 million. 
• ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.98 per share on revenue of $1.76 billion. 
• Alexander's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALX#NYSE">ALX</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $3.71 per share on revenue of $55.20 million. 
• Loews (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/L#NYSE">L</a>) is expected to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• CNA Financial (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNA#NYSE">CNA</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $1.21 per share on revenue of $3.62 billion. 
• ORIX (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IX#NYSE">IX</a>) is estimated to report earnings for its third quarter. 
<h3>Companies Reporting After The Bell</h3>
• Arch Capital Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACGL#NASDAQ">ACGL</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $1.80 per share on revenue of $3.95 billion. 
• RCI Hospitality Hldgs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RICK#NASDAQ">RICK</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.00 per share on revenue of $81.82 million. 
• Ark Restaurants (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKR#NASDAQ">ARKR</a>) is expected to report earnings for its first quarter. 
• Compass Minerals Intl (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMP#NYSE">CMP</a>) is projected to report earnings for its first quarter. 
• Radiant Logistics (AMEX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RLGT#AMEX">RLGT</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.10 per share on revenue of $220.60 million. 
• Cresud SACIF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRESY#NASDAQ">CRESY</a>) is likely to report earnings for its second quarter. 
• Prospect Capital (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSEC#NASDAQ">PSEC</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.14 per share on revenue of $189.67 million. 
• SelectQuote (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLQT#NYSE">SLQT</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.00 per share on revenue of $447.00 million. 
• SPDR ICE Preferred Securities ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSK#NYSE">PSK</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.22 per share on revenue of $121.00 million. 
• PetMed Express (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PETS#NASDAQ">PETS</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.01 per share on revenue of $60.00 million. 
• Quipt Home Medical (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QIPT#NASDAQ">QIPT</a>) is likely to report earnings for its first quarter. 
• RGC Resources (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGCO#NASDAQ">RGCO</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.50 per share on revenue of $26.00 million. 
• Fluence Energy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLNC#NASDAQ">FLNC</a>) is projected to report quarterly loss at $0.21 per share on revenue of $375.22 million. 
• Columbus McKinnon (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCO#NASDAQ">CMCO</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.74 per share on revenue of $252.56 million. 
• Origin Agritech (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SEED#NASDAQ">SEED</a>) is estimated to report earnings for its Fiscal Year 2024. 
• Lattice Semiconductor (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LSCC#NASDAQ">LSCC</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.19 per share on revenue of $117.09 million. 
• Unitil (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UTL#NYSE">UTL</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.95 per share on revenue of $145.00 million. 
• Beyond Air (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XAIR#NASDAQ">XAIR</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.15 per share on revenue of $934 thousand. 
• SPS Commerce (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPSC#NASDAQ">SPSC</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.87 per share on revenue of $169.29 million. 
• Bank of N.T Butterfield (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTB#NYSE">NTB</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.14 per share on revenue of $143.43 million. 
• Simpson Manufacturing Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSD#NYSE">SSD</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.29 per share on revenue of $498.53 million. 
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VRTX#NASDAQ">VRTX</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $4.10 per share on revenue of $2.78 billion. 
• TIM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TIMB#NYSE">TIMB</a>) is estimated to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Vornado Realty (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VNO#NYSE">VNO</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.51 per share on revenue of $447.75 million. 
• Axcelis Technologies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACLS#NASDAQ">ACLS</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $1.25 per share on revenue of $244.95 million. 
• Arrowhead Pharma (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARWR#NASDAQ">ARWR</a>) is likely to report quarterly loss at $1.10 per share on revenue of $14.09 million. 
• Kilroy Realty (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KRC#NYSE">KRC</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $1.03 per share on revenue of $280.21 million. 
• Apollo Comml Real Est (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARI#NYSE">ARI</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.22 per share on revenue of $48.20 million. 
• Mitek Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MITK#NASDAQ">MITK</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.13 per share on revenue of $36.05 million. 
• Harmonic (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HLIT#NASDAQ">HLIT</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.37 per share on revenue of $212.45 million. 
• Amkor Tech (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMKR#NASDAQ">AMKR</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.38 per share on revenue of $1.66 billion. 
• Danaos (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAC#NYSE">DAC</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $6.95 per share on revenue of $261.56 million. 
• Coty (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COTY#NYSE">COTY</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.21 per share on revenue of $1.73 billion. 
• Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WTS#NYSE">WTS</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $1.92 per share on revenue of $537.61 million. 
• CoreCivic (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CXW#NYSE">CXW</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.30 per share on revenue of $465.17 million. 
• NGL Energy Partners (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NGL#NYSE">NGL</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.13 per share on revenue of $1.72 billion. 
• Medpace Hldgs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MEDP#NASDAQ">MEDP</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $3.12 per share on revenue of $535.01 million. 
• Astera Labs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALAB#NASDAQ">ALAB</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.26 per share on revenue of $127.91 million. 
• Inspire Medical Systems (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INSP#NYSE">INSP</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.72 per share on revenue of $232.90 million. 
• Pennant Park Investment (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PNNT#NYSE">PNNT</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.21 per share on revenue of $35.59 million. 
• PennantPark Floating Rate (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PFLT#NYSE">PFLT</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.32 per share on revenue of $59.48 million. 
• Cincinnati Financial (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CINF#NASDAQ">CINF</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $1.87 per share on revenue of $2.63 billion. 
• Brixmor Property Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRX#NYSE">BRX</a>) is projected to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Credicorp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAP#NYSE">BAP</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $4.66 per share on revenue of $1.48 billion. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Earnings

ACGL

ACLS

AIOT

ALAB

AMKR

ARKR

ARWR

CINF

CMCO

COTY

CRESY

CSPI

FLNC

GCMG

HAIN

HLIT

INCY

INSP

ISPR

LSCC

MEDP

MITK

MNDY

MPAA

PETS

PFLT

PNNT

PSEC

QIPT

RGCO

RICK

RLGT

ROIV

SEED

SLQT

SPSC

TIMB

TSEM

VRTX

XAIR

Earnings Scheduled For February 10, 2025

Despite inflation worries, Americans are expected to increase their Super Bowl spending, according to a recent report. However, more fans are planning to cut back on their expenses for the big game.
What Happened: A study by LendingTree found that 75% of Americans plan to watch the Super Bowl. However, 31% of these viewers intend to cut back on their Super Bowl spending compared to last year, <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/americans-super-bowl-spending-rise-despite-inflation-worries?ref=biztoc.com">reported</a> Fox Business. This is a notable jump from the 19% who plan to increase their budget. Meanwhile, 50% of respondents expect their spending to remain unchanged.
Those planning to spend on Super Bowl festivities expect to spend an average of $142, marking a 22% increase from last year&#8217;s $116. The main expenses include food, beverages, and fan gear.
Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst&nbsp;at LendingTree stated, &#8220;Even though more people are&nbsp;saying they&#8217;re going to spend&nbsp;less, the average amount for&nbsp;people who are going to&nbsp;spend was up fairly significantly.&#8221;
The report also highlighted that 41% of Super Bowl viewers intend to place bets on the game. Most of these bettors plan to wager smaller amounts, with only 41% expecting to bet $100 or more.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43488268/googles-gemini-ai-could-soon-include-adssundar-pichai-hints-at-future-monetization-beyond-subscriptions">Google&#8217;s Gemini AI Could Soon Include Ads — Sundar Pichai Hints At Future Monetization Beyond Subscriptions</a>
Why It Matters:&nbsp;The high cost of Super Bowl ads was a concern for many viewers. A Benzinga poll also revealed that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43563633/exclusive-is-super-bowl-7m-cost-worth-it-61-say-this-while-18-admit-to-looking-up-companies-after-last-years-nfl-">61% of viewers didn&#8217;t believe</a> the high cost of these ads was worth it. LendingTree&#8217;s findings coincide with a separate study by the Bank of America Institute, which revealed that Americans&#8217; spending on spectator sports hit a record high in 2024.
The Super Bowl event of Sunday saw a host of celebrity-packed commercials, with over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43583058/super-bowl-ads-go-all-in-on-ai-stars-and-8m-price-tags-elon-musk-shared-this-advert-with-his-followers">10 spots costing</a> advertisers $8 million each. President Donald Trump made history as the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl. Besides the traditional sponsors, this year&#8217;s commercials attracted tech companies like Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) covered a wide range of themes, with a significant focus on artificial intelligence.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43583058/super-bowl-ads-go-all-in-on-ai-stars-and-8m-price-tags-elon-musk-shared-this-advert-with-his-followers">Salesforce Cuts 1000 Jobs But Ramps Up Hiring For AI Sales Roles</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Sports

Economics

General

Americans To Spend Big On Super Bowl, 22% Surge From Last Year Likely Despite Inflation Worries: Report

Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban recently expressed his views on Elon Musk&#8216;s Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, advocating for more transparency and suggesting the inclusion of Democrats for oversight.
What Happened: Cuban on Monday reiterated his long-standing stance on government transparency, stating, &#8220;If you have nothing to hide, hide nothing.&#8221; 
Cuban&#8217;s post was a response to a resurfaced 2017 video shared by an X user, where the billionaire called for cutting the government's size by at least one-third and enhancing its efficiency—an idea that also underpins Trump&#8217;s newly established department, now led by Musk.
Cuban said, he &#8220;Still stand by it.&#8221;
challenging Musk&#8217;s DOGE initiative, which has faced criticism for its lack of transparency, Cuban suggested that Musk invite Democrats to work with his DOGE teams to provide a clearer picture of the project&#8217;s operations.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Still stand by it. Said it many times before then. Blogged about it too. Difference is the transparency. <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@doge</a> says they are transparent. They don't want anyone questioning them. When it comes to government transparency: If you have nothing to hide, hide nothing… <a href="https://t.co/P845QlOTAJ">https://t.co/P845QlOTAJ</a>
&mdash; Mark Cuban (@mcuban) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcuban/status/1888711577047880106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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This post follows Cuban&#8217;s previous criticisms of the Tesla Inc CEO&#8217;s influence on the government and his control over free speech. He has also expressed concerns about Musk&#8217;s motivations and intentions.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43582376/not-a-bad-return-on-his-investment-bernie-sanders-says-elon-musk-spent-277-million-to-elect-trump-and-made-154-billion-since-election-day">&#8216;Not A Bad Return On His Investment&#8217;—Bernie Sanders Says Elon Musk Spent $277 Million To Elect Trump And Made $154 Billion Since Election Day</a>
Why It Matters: Cuban&#8217;s post comes amid ongoing legal challenges claiming that DOGE fails to comply with federal transparency regulations. His call for more transparency and diverse oversight could potentially impact the public&#8217;s perception of DOGE and its operations. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43554357/mark-cuban-calls-out-elon-musks-growing-influence-under-trump-on-a-mission-to-make-himself-above-and-beyond-the-president-of-the-united-states">Cuban has previously questioned Musk&#8217;s growing influence</a> and his control over free speech.
Interestingly, Cuban, a long-time Trump critic, has also shown interest in launching his meme coin with proceeds going to the U.S. Treasury to reduce the national debt. &nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/02/43515728/mark-cuban-mocks-meme-coins-but-pitches-one-to-cut-u-s-debt-if-its-a-grift-make-it-a-grift-to-benefit-all-americans">Cuban&#8217;s potential meme coin</a>&nbsp;could offer a contrast to the current DOGE initiative and its transparency issues.
Meanwhile, in a pre-Super Bowl interview, President Donald Trump expressed his trust in Elon Musk and highlighted that Musk's influence is particularly noteworthy since he is &#8216;not gaining anything&#8217; from the position.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43581429/mark-cubans-400k-bet-on-teen-founder-comes-with-an-unexpected-invitation-i-want-my-daughters-to-meet-you-and-learn-from-you">Mark Cuban&#8217;s $400K Bet On Teen Founder Comes With An Unexpected Invitation: &#8216;I Want My Daughters To Meet You, And Learn From You&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Mark Cuban Says He Backs Government Efficiency, But Questions Elon Musk's DOGE Initiative's Transparency: 'If You Have Nothing to Hide, Hide Nothing'

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk and Vice President of Finance Sendil Palani addressed allegations of the EV company evading taxes in posts on X over the weekend. The company did not evade tax but carried it forward as per an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provision, they said.
What Happened: Musk called for tax reform in a post on social media X on Saturday, claiming there are too many &#8220;loopholes.&#8221; Following the post, several X users noted that his EV company Tesla did not pay federal income tax for several years, including in 2024.
&#8220;Tesla losses were high for many years, so carry forward. Super majority of profit is from production and sales overseas, not US. But the point I am making IS that we need tax reform!,&#8221; Musk wrote in response to the allegations.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Yeah. Tesla losses were high for many years, so carry forward. Super majority of profit is from production and sales overseas, not US. But the point I am making IS that we need tax reform!
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1888411275060773218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Tesla VP of Finance Palani also took to X to address the claims.
&#8220;Tesla&#8217;s income taxes are not an example of fraud. Tesla complies with all tax regulations in all of the regions of the world in which we operate,&#8221; Palani said.
&#8220;Details about 2024 Income Taxes were disclosed to last month in our 10-K (filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission). Notably &#8211; we outline our net operating loss carry-forwards, which result from the fact that Tesla has been unprofitable for the significant majority of its 20+ year history,&#8221; he said, while urging everyone to not look at any one recent year in isolation for details on the company&#8217;s finances. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Professor, Respectfully, Tesla&#39;s income taxes are not an example of fraud. Tesla complies with all tax regulations in all of the regions of the world in which we operate. Details about 2024 Income Taxes were disclosed to last month in our 10-K. Notably &#8211; we outline our net…
&mdash; Sendil Palani (@sendilpalani) <a href="https://twitter.com/sendilpalani/status/1888694584894754947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
A tax loss carryforward is an&nbsp;IRS&nbsp;provision that allows businesses to carry a tax loss from one year into future years to offset a portion of their taxable income.&nbsp;
Why It Matters: Tesla <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38485339/elon-musk-reminisces-how-tesla-achieved-its-first-quarterly-profit-11-years-ago-a-case-of-deliver-or">turned a full-year profit for the first time in 2020</a>. The company reported a net income of $721 million for 2020 and in 2024, this rose to $7.09 billion. In 2023, Tesla&#8217;s net income attributable to shareholders was nearly $15 billion. 
For the full-year 2024, Tesla recorded total revenue of $97.69 billion, marking a growth of about 1% from the year before, despite a 6% drop in automotive revenues which was offset by a rise in revenue from the company&#8217;s energy generation and storage segment.
The company reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43326143/tesla-stock-rises-5-after-hours-on-fsd-and-new-vehicle-promises-despite-q4-revenue-miss">earnings per share of $2.04</a>, down 53% from the year before, following a drop in annual vehicle deliveries and heavy discounting measures aimed at hiking sales. 
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43577187/spacex-to-land-falcon-9-first-stage-off-the-coast-of-the-bahamas-later-this-month">Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX To Land Falcon 9 First Stage Off The Coast Of The Bahamas Later This Month</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, VP Of Finance Address Allegations Of Tax Fraud: 'Losses Were High For Many Years, So Carry Forward'

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), has publicly dismissed the idea of acquiring the widely-used short-video app, TikTok. On Jan. 19, the U.S. President, Donald Trump signed an executive order to postpone the enforcement of a ban on the Chinese short-video app.
What Happened: Musk&#8217;s comments were made in late January and released online by The WELT Group,&nbsp;a division of&nbsp;German media company Axel Springer&nbsp;SE, on&nbsp;Saturday. Musk joined a summit hosted by the group via video, where he stated, &#8220;I&nbsp;have not put in a&nbsp;bid for TikTok.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Europe at a Turning Point - Elon Musk on Bureaucracy and the Fight for Innovation" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QVbRG2J1Saw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> These comments were made a week after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled openness to Musk purchasing the app, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. However, Musk admitted he was unfamiliar with the app's format and stated he had no intentions of acquiring it. &#8220;I&#8217;m not eager to buy TikTok. I rarely acquire companies,&#8221; Musk remarked. The Tesla Founder also clarified that he likes to build companies from scratch but acquiring Twitter, now called X, was an &#8216;important and productive step&#8217; to preserve the freedom of speech in America and the world at large. While the enforcement of the ban on the short-video app has been delayed, Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) and Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) have yet to restore TikTok to their app stores. However, TikTok announced on Friday that U.S. Android users can now download and access the app via package kits available on its website, bypassing the restrictions. Trump has stated that he is in discussions with multiple parties regarding the potential purchase of TikTok and expects a decision on the app&#8217;s future later this month. The President ordered a ban on the short video app amid national security concerns. Currently, the app has approximately 170 million users in the U.S. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/02/43511395/trump-pushes-for-tiktok-deal-china-could-oblige-if-it-werent-for-those-tariffs-heres-what-we-know">Trump Pushes For TikTok Deal, China Could Oblige If It Weren&#8217;t For Those Tariffs — Here&#8217;s What We Know</a> Why It Matters: The idea of Musk acquiring TikTok first <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/01/42965533/elon-musk-emerges-as-potential-tiktok-us-buyer-as-ban-deadline-looms-company-terms-it-pure-fiction">emerged in mid-January</a>, when Chinese officials considered Musk as a potential buyer for TikTok&#8217;s U.S. operations. This was due to Musk&#8217;s existing relationships in China through Tesla&#8217;s Shanghai factory and his close ties to President-elect Donald Trump. Later in the month, Trump himself <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43118289/trump-open-to-elon-musk-or-larry-ellison-buying-tiktok-calls-us-permit-key-to-1-trillion-valuation">expressed openness</a> to the idea of Musk or the Chairman of Oracle Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) Larry Ellison acquiring TikTok. This marked a significant shift in the platform's uncertain future amid regulatory challenges. A report by The Washington Post on Wednesday suggests a rather firm stance by China, wherein it may allow TikTok&#8217;s U.S. operations to shut down instead of approving a sale unless Washington offers broader trade and technology concessions. READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43582884/elon-musks-spacex-and-t-mobile-go-live-with-starlink-powered-satellite-to-cell-service-heres-how-much-it-will-cost">Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX And T-Mobile Go Live With Starlink-Powered Satellite-To-Cell Service: Here&#8217;s How Much It Will Cost </a> Image via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. </figcaption></figure>

AAPL

ORCL

Elon Musk Shuts Down TikTok Buyout Rumors, Says He Prefers To Build Companies From Scratch: 'I Rarely Acquire Companies'

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a decline in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Friday.
U.S. stocks settled lower on Friday, with the Dow Jones index dipping more than 400 points as investors digested the jobs report for January.
Wall Street also recorded losses last week as renewed fears over inflation and trade tariffs eroded risk appetite. Investor uncertainty grew following President Donald Trump&#8217;s announcement that ‘reciprocal tariffs' would take effect next week.
The University of Michigan&#8217;s consumer sentiment survey revealed an &#8220;unusually large&#8221; spike in inflation expectations. The one-year inflation outlook surged by a full percentage point to 4.3%, marking its highest level since November 2023.
On the macro front, February's jobs report revealed a mixed outcome, with employment growth slowing down more than expected, yet unemployment fell more than expected, and wages surged more than expected.
Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) reported better-than-expected earnings and sales results for its fourth quarter after the market close Thursday. However, the company said it sees first-quarter net sales to come in a range of $151 billion to $155.5 billion, up 5% to 9% year-over-year, down from market estimates of $158.5 billion.
All sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with communication services, consumer discretionary, and materials stocks recording losses on Friday.
The Dow Jones closed lower by over 444 points to 44,303.40 on Friday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.95% to 6,025.99, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 1.36% at 19,523.40 during Friday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from McDonald&#8217;s Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCD#NYSE">MCD</a>), ON Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>), and Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROK#NYSE">ROK</a>) today.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
At a current reading of 39.3, the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Friday, versus a prior reading of 44.3.
The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/02/43559194/jim-cramer-likes-this-utilities-stock-i-think-youve-got-a-good-one">Jim Cramer Likes This Utilities Stock: &#8216;I Think You&#8217;ve Got A Good One&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Equities

Pre-Market Outlook

AMZN

Dow Dips Over 400 Points Following Tariffs Threat: Investor Sentiment Declines, Greed Index In 'Fear' Zone

With U.S. stock futures trading higher this morning on Monday, some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are as follows:
<ul>
<li>Wall Street expects McDonald&#8217;s Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCD#NYSE">MCD</a>) to report quarterly earnings at $2.84 per share on revenue of $6.44 billion before the opening bell, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>. McDonald&#8217;s shares slipped 0.02% to $294.25 in after-hours trading.</li>
<li>Analysts expect&nbsp;ON Semiconductor Corp.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>) to post quarterly earnings of 97 cents per share on revenue of $1.76 billion. The company will release earnings before the markets open. In after-hours trading, ON Semiconductor shares fell 0.5% to $51.00.</li>
<li>VOXX International Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOXX#NASDAQ">VOXX</a>) posted a loss of $1.90 per share for the third quarter, versus a year-ago profit of 8 cents per share. Its sales fell to $105.17 million from $135.26 million. VOXX International shares fell 0.3% to $7.38 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
</ul>
Check out our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/">premarket coverage here</a>
<ul>
<li>Before the markets open, Rockwell Automation Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROK#NYSE">ROK</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.59 per share on revenue of $1.88 billion. Rockwell Automation shares fell 0.4% to $267.35 in after-hours trading.</li>
<li>Analysts expect Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VRTX#NASDAQ">VRTX</a>) to post quarterly earnings at $4.03 per share on revenue of $2.78 billion after the closing bell. Vertex Pharmaceuticals shares fell 2.5% to close at $469.32 on Friday.</li>
</ul>
Check This Out:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/02/43559194/jim-cramer-likes-this-utilities-stock-i-think-youve-got-a-good-one"> </a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/02/43559194/jim-cramer-likes-this-utilities-stock-i-think-youve-got-a-good-one">Jim Cramer Likes This Utilities Stock: &#8216;I Think You&#8217;ve Got A Good One&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Long Ideas

Trading Ideas

VOXX

McDonald's, ON Semiconductor And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Monday

McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCD#NYSE">MCD</a>) will release its fourth-quarter financial results, before the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MCD/earnings">opening bell, on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.</a>
Analysts expect the Chicago-based company to report quarterly earnings at $2.86 per share, down from $2.95 per share in the year-ago period. McDonald's projects quarterly revenue of $6.48 billion, compared to $6.41 billion a year earlier, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
On Jan. 21, Cognizant Technology Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTSH#NASDAQ">CTSH</a>) and McDonald&#8217;s have extended their partnership with a multi-year renewal.
McDonald's shares fell 0.02% to close at $294.30 on Friday.
Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/22/09/28888638/exclusive-study-finds-benzinga-analyst-ratings-data-yields-market-beating-strategie">Analyst Stock Ratings</a> page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.
Let's have a look at how Benzinga's most-accurate <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MCD/analyst-ratings">analysts have rated the company</a> in the recent period.
<ul>
<li>Citigroup analyst Jon Tower maintained a Buy rating and raised the price target from $334 to $336 on Jan. 28, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 72%.</li>
<li>Keybanc analyst Eric Gonzalez maintained an Overweight rating and cut the price target from $330 to $320 on Jan. 24, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 70%.</li>
<li>Morgan Stanley analyst John Glass maintained an Overweight rating and lowered the price target from $340 to $336 on Jan. 21, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 61%.</li>
<li>Truist Securities analyst Jake Bartlett maintained a Buy rating and cut the price target from $350 to $342 on Oct. 30, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 75%.</li>
<li>BMO Capital analyst Andrew Strelzik maintained an Outperform rating and raised the price target from $315 to $335 on Oct. 30, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 66%.</li>
</ul>
Considering buying MCD stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts think:
Read This Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/02/43559194/jim-cramer-likes-this-utilities-stock-i-think-youve-got-a-good-one">Jim Cramer Likes This Utilities Stock: &#8216;I Think You&#8217;ve Got A Good One&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

McDonald's Gears Up For Q4 Print; Here Are The Recent Forecast Changes From Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABAF#OTC">BABAF</a>)&nbsp; stock climbed 5.90% to HKD 105.90 ($13.60) in Hong Kong trading Monday, extending its year-to-date gains to 30.26% as investors eye the company&#8217;s upcoming third-quarter earnings report and recent artificial intelligence developments.
The Chinese e-commerce giant&#8217;s cloud unit <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/01/43351350/alibaba-stock-rises-as-deepseek-selloff-continues-qwen-ai-model-gains-attention">recently launched Qwen2.5-VL</a>, an advanced AI model family capable of parsing files, analyzing videos, counting objects in images, and controlling PCs. The model reportedly outperformed competitors including OpenAI&#8216;s GPT-4, Anthropic&#8217;s Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Google&#8217;s Gemini 2.0 Flash across various benchmarks.
The strong performance comes as Chinese tech stocks experience broader momentum, led by AI firm DeepSeek. This is helping narrow the valuation gap with U.S. tech leaders known as the &#8220;Magnificent Seven.&#8221; Alibaba will report its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/BABA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third-quarter earnings</a> before the market opens on Feb. 20.
The company&#8217;s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) shares closed at $103.51 on Friday, up 3.13% on the U.S. markets, with after-hours trading showing a slight decline of 0.26%.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43582928/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-as-investors-prepare-for-crucial-cpi-ppi-data-top-analyst-anticipates-a-strong-week-for-crypto">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Flat As Investors Prepare For Crucial Inflation Data: Top Analyst Says This Week Comparable To Any &#8216;Crisis&#8217; Period But You Should Be Bullish</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shuterstock 
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

BABA

ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LTD by Alibaba Group Holding Limited

BABAF

Alibaba Shares Surge Ahead Of Q3 Earnings As AI Advances Boost Chinese Tech Stocks

President Donald Trump announced on Monday he has directed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cease penny production, following recent criticism of the coin&#8217;s costly manufacturing process.
What Happened: &#8220;For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents,&#8221; Trump posted on social media. &#8220;This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let&#8217;s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it&#8217;s a penny at a time.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/10012729/Screenshot-2025-02-10-at-11.55.45%E2%80%AFAM-1024x414.png" alt="" class="wp-image-773756" style="width:760px;height:auto" /></figure>
The decision comes after Elon Musk&#8216;s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) highlighted the economic inefficiency of penny production last month. According to DOGE, the U.S. Mint <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43152917/elon-musk-led-doge-targets-us-penny-over-179m-annual-production-cost">spent $179 million in taxpayer funds</a> during the fiscal year 2023 to produce 4.5 billion pennies, with each coin costing 3.07 cents to manufacture – more than triple its face value.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43583982/mcdonalds-dishes-first-female-athlete-meal-ahead-of-q4-numbers-and-it-comes-with-a-bold-new-bbq-sauce">McDonald&#8217;s Dishes First Female Athlete Meal Ahead Of Q4 Numbers And It Comes With A Bold New BBQ Sauce</a>
Why It Matters: The penny&#8217;s composition of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper plating contributes to its high production costs, with parts and labor accounting for 88% of manufacturing expenses across four U.S. Mint facilities. The coin represents approximately 40% of total coin <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43152917/elon-musk-led-doge-targets-us-penny-over-179m-annual-production-cost">circulation in the United States</a>.
The move aligns with actions taken by other nations, including Canada and the United Kingdom, which have already eliminated their lowest-denomination coins. If implemented, the nickel would become America&#8217;s lowest-value coin in circulation.
This latest development adds momentum to a long-running debate about the penny&#8217;s future. In 2013, the Brookings Institution advocated for discontinuing both penny and nickel production, <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/lets-drop-pennies-and-nickels-too-while-were-at-it/">suggesting</a> broader reform of U.S. coinage.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43582928/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-as-investors-prepare-for-crucial-cpi-ppi-data-top-analyst-anticipates-a-strong-week-for-crypto">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Flat As Investors Prepare For Crucial Inflation Data: Top Analyst Says This Week Comparable To Any &#8216;Crisis&#8217; Period But You Should Be Bullish</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Trump Orders Scott Bessent To 'Rip The Waste Out,' Ends Penny Production After Elon Musk's DOGE Report

Hank Azaria, the iconic voice behind some of "The Simpsons" most beloved characters, put artificial intelligence to the test to see if it could accurately replicate his voice—and the results left much to be desired.
What Happened: In an experiment with the New York Times, Azaria recorded samples of his voice, which were then fed into an AI system to generate artificial versions of his signature characters, including Moe Szyslak, the bartender.
The AI-generated voices, however, failed to capture the depth, nuance, and soul of his performances. "It felt like what it was, which was just a vocal version of printed text," Azaria noted after hearing an AI-generated imitation of himself.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43583558/kendrick-lamars-super-bowl-halftime-show-teases-diss-track-not-like-us-before-delivering-the-ultimate-mic-drop-momentsamuel-l-jackson-serena-williams-and-sza-join-the-spectacle">Kendrick Lamar&#8217;s Super Bowl Halftime Show Teases Diss Track &#8216;Not Like Us&#8217; Before Delivering The Ultimate Mic Drop Moment—Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, And SZA Join The Spectacle</a>
When tested with Moe the bartender's voice, the AI&#8217;s attempt was even further off the mark. "It doesn't have enough gravel in it," Azaria explained. "And it's missing a lot of sounds that Moe should make."
Azaria also demonstrated how voice acting is more than just vocal delivery—it's a full-body performance. To prove his point, he acted out running dialogue while physically moving, showing how breath control and motion affect the realism of a character's voice.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Can A.I. Voice &#039;The Simpsons&#039;? We Found Out. &#x7C; NYT Opinion" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Hz19kpCse4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
</figure>
Why It&#8217;s Important: The exploration of AI in voice acting by Azaria comes amid growing interest in AI&#8217;s ability to mimic celebrity voices.
Last year, Meta Platforms Inc. unveiled plans to enable its AI chatbot to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40996713/metas-ai-chatbot-to-mimic-voices-of-celebrities-like-judi-dench-and-john-cena-heres-what-mark-zucker">replicate the voices</a> of celebrities like Judi Dench and John Cena.
However, the use of AI-generated voices has sparked controversy. Technology reviewer Marques Brownlee previously accused a company of using AI to clone his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/10/41383093/marques-brownlee-accuses-scummy-shady-company-of-using-ai-to-copy-his-voice-with-no-repercussions">voice without permission</a>.
Azaria acknowledged that AI is improving, but he remains skeptical that it can ever fully replace human creativity. He also noted that audience preferences will ultimately dictate the future of AI in entertainment.&nbsp;
&#8220;Right now, what AI generates by itself as Moe the bartender or anything else isn't going to cut it. But if it does start to cut it, people are going to listen to it, and they're going to be grateful that it's so readily available,&#8221; the voice actor stated.
Photo Courtesy: Ekaterina_Minaeva on Shutterstock.com
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43583398/top-analyst-says-apple-has-ramped-up-hiring-for-home-robotics-team">Apple Ramping Up Hiring For Home Robotics Team, Says Top Analyst: What&#8217;s Brewing?</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Will The Simpsons Be Voiced By AI One Day? Hank Azaria Checks To See If His Job Is Safe

<ul>
<li>In conjunction with the royalty financing deal with HealthCare Royalty (HCRx) announced on January 30, 2025, GENFIT will request the consent of the holders of 2025 OCEANEs and proposes:
<ul>
<li>&nbsp;to repurchase the 2025 OCEANEs at EUR 32.00 per bond from interested bondholders, or alternatively</li>
<li>to pay a consent fee of EUR 0.60 per bond still outstanding after the upcoming bondholder meeting and cancellation of the repurchased 2025 OCEANEs</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both proposals are subject to approval of the royalty financing by the 2025 OCEANEs bondholders at the upcoming bondholders meeting and closing of the royalty financing</li>
</ul>

GNFT

GENFIT Finalizes 2025 OCEANEs Proposal: Repurchase At EUR 32.00 Per Bond, Alternative EUR 0.60 Consent Fee For Remaining Holder

Hempstract

It&rsquo;s not just Congressional wannabes who invent&nbsp;lies about themselves to impress na&iuml;ve voters and dupe their own party,&nbsp;it seems such&nbsp;posers have seeped into the cannabis industry as well. And, they&#39;re not just enhancing their resum&eacute;, they&#39;re stealing loads of money.

Justin Costello, who&nbsp;posed as a billionaire, a wounded Special Forces Iraq War veteran and a legal cannabis investor&nbsp;pleaded guilty to securities fraud in a Seattle federal court Wednesday.

The Costello Caper

The guilty plea came several months after an FBI SWAT team arrested Costello in a remote area of southern California where he&nbsp;was&nbsp;carrying a backpack containing&nbsp;gold bars, $70,000 in U.S. and Mexican currency and a fake ID. Costello was&nbsp;apparently&nbsp;heading south of the border after having failed to surrender as agreed to face&nbsp;a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/press-release/file/1539266/download">25-count indictment</a>.

At the time, reported MJBiz,&nbsp;U.S. Attorney Nick Brown called the Costello caper&nbsp;&ldquo;a complex scheme involving shell companies, penny stocks, and financial services for marijuana businesses&quot; in which &quot;Costello used Twitter, press releases, securities filings, and claims of great wealth to paint a picture of fabulous financial success.&quot;&nbsp;

Though Costello&#39;s Wednesday&nbsp;guilty plea&nbsp;was to a single count of securities fraud, it covered much of the criminal conduct alleged in the indictment.

Under the agreement, prosecutors will recommend a 10-year prison sentence.&nbsp;Costello agreed to pay the victims of his frauds, reported CNBC,&nbsp;not less than $35 million in restitution.

What Else Did He Do?

In his plea agreement, Costello admitted&nbsp;that he lied to investors and would-be investors by falsely claiming he had graduated from the University of Minnesota and had an MBA from Harvard. He also said he&rsquo;d managed money for wealthy individuals and had 14 years of experience on Wall Street - both untrue.

The agreement pointed out that while Costello was lying about his qualifications from July 2019 through May 2021, more than 7,500 investors bought and sold stock in his publicly traded company,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GRNFD">GRN Holding Corp</a>&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GRNFD#OTC">GRNFD</a>)&nbsp;and collectively lost about $25 million

Other scams included some 30 investors who got involved in another Costello company,<a href="http://www.benzinga.com/quote/HPST">&nbsp;Hempstract</a>&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPST#OTC">HPST</a>) and collectively lost about $6 million after believing his lies about the company&rsquo;s business operations.

Then there were wild stories that a large grocery business in Chicago had purchased $12 million in Hempstract products and that Hempstract had nearly 7,000 pounds of CBD isolate valued at $10.7 million.

Costello also fraudulently diverted some $3.7 million from three cannabis companies, which held agreements to obtain banking services from one of his companies - Pacific Banking Corp.

Prosecutors also noted that&nbsp;Costello engaged in a fraudulent&nbsp;pump-and-dump&nbsp;scheme in which he manipulated the prices of multiple stocks. Costello bought large blocks of stocks at low prices and then&nbsp;paid another person to use a Twitter account to promote the companies by making false claims about them. Costello made more than $625,000 from that scheme, according to his plea agreement.

One wonders, did Long Island Rep. George Santos&nbsp;take a page from&nbsp;Justin Costello&#39;s resume-writing booklet&nbsp;or was it the other way around?&nbsp;

Photo: FBI Seattle

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