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GLJ Research LLC CEO and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) bear Gordon Johnson on Wednesday slammed bulls for their high price targets based on the assumption that the Elon Musk-owned company is &#8220;more than a car company.&#8221;
What Happened: &#8220;2025E appears set to disappoint the Wall Street bulls taking up their price targets on the idea &#8220;$TSLA is not a car company&#8221; &#8211; i.e., despite the fact that ~88% of its revs came from selling cars in 4Q24,&#8221; Johnson said in a post on social media platform X.
While automotive revenue accounted for most of Tesla&#8217;s fourth-quarter revenue, it was only at 77%, lower than what Johnson claims in his post. The company reported a total revenue of $25.71 billion, of which automotive revenue accounted for $19.8 billion, or roughly 77%. The remaining revenue came from the company&#8217;s energy generation, storage, and service segments.
&#8220;$TSLA is a company valued for exponential growth that has not grown in its most profitable/important market (i.e., California, or 33% of $TSLA&#8217;s 2024 US sales of ~691K) five consecutive quarters,&#8221; Johnson said while adding that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43375903/tesla-researcher-estimates-drop-in-ev-deliveries-for-2025-despite-promise-of-new-models">demand in Europe and Canada</a> are also now in &#8220;free fall.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">2/2&#8230; mainly to E. Musk&#39;s political leanings, 2025E appears set to disappoint the Wall Street bulls taking up their price targets on the idea &quot;$TSLA is not a car company&quot; &#8211; i.e., despite the fact that ~88% of its revs came from selling cars in 4Q24. <a href="https://t.co/57IJXWRWmj">pic.twitter.com/57IJXWRWmj</a>
&mdash; Gordon Johnson (@GordonJohnson19) <a href="https://twitter.com/GordonJohnson19/status/1886933337958203625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The bear is referring to the recent report from the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA). The CNCDA said that Tesla had 203,221 vehicle registrations in California in 2024, nearly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43454267/teslas-golden-state-struggles-registrations-decline-in-us-largest-ev-market-for-5th-straight-quarter">12% lower than the year before.</a>
Tesla's new registrations in the state fell 7.8% in the fourth quarter and 11.6% in 2024. For the year, Tesla held a 52.5% share of the zero-emission vehicle market, down from the 60.1% share in 2023.
Johnson, in his post, pegged the decline in registrations mainly to Musk&#8217;s &#8220;political leanings&#8221; towards Republican President Donald Trump. California, on the other hand, is a Democratic stronghold. 
Why It Matters: Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives has often reiterated that Tesla is an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/43150976/dan-ives-raises-tesla-price-target-to-550-sees-golden-era-for-elon-musk-under-trump-sees-bull-case-upside-of-over-56-if-optimus-robot-counted-in-valuation">AI and robotics company </a>and not a car company, reflecting CEO Musk&#8217;s vision for Tesla. Wedbush has a price target of $550 on Tesla and an &#8220;outperform&#8221; rating. In comparison, GLJ research maintains a &#8220;sell&#8221; rating on the stock with a price target of $24.86. Overall, Tesla has a consensus price target of&nbsp;$320.75&nbsp;based on the ratings of&nbsp;32 analysts tracked by Benzinga.
Tesla reported a fall in vehicle deliveries for the first time in over a decade in 2024. The company reported global&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/01/42766117/tesla-stock-tumbles-on-q4-deliveries-whats-going-on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deliveries of 1.79 million</a>&nbsp;vehicles in 2024, down from full-year deliveries of 1.81 million in 2023. The company&#8217;s revenue from its automotive segment subsequently fell 6% in 2024 to $77.07 billion while its revenue from the energy generate and storage segment rose 67% to $10.09 billion, thereby preventing a year-on-year dip in overall revenue. 
The EV maker&#8217;s shares closed up 2.22% at $392.21 on Tuesday. The stock is up by nearly 117% over the past year, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro.</a> 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="928" height="358" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/05004352/image-31.png" alt="" class="wp-image-766236" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/05004352/image-31.png 928w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/05004352/image-31-300x116.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/05004352/image-31-768x296.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 928px) 100vw, 928px" /></figure>
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:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43455022/fords-mustang-mach-e-was-its-saving-grace-in-january-as-sales-of-its-other-evs-dipped" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mustang Mach-E Accelerates Ford&#8217;s EV Sales In January Even As F-150 Lightning Slows Down</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Tesla

Analyst Color

News

Tech

TSLA

Tesla Bear Expects EV Giant's Earnings To Fall Below Bullish Estimates In 2025, Notes Majority Of Company's Revenues Come From Car Deliveries

Macro Economic Events

Econ #s

Economics

Reported Earlier, China Caixin Services Purchasing Managers Index For January 51.0 Vs. 52.3 Est.; 52.2 Prior

BBJP

WisdomTree Trust Japan Total Dividend Fund

Reported Earlier, au Jibun Bank Japan Services Purchasing Managers' Index For January 53.0 Vs. 52.7 Est.; 50.9 Prior

Martin Shkreli, the former hedge fund manager known as &#8220;Pharma Bro,&#8221; defended Palantir Technologies Inc.&#8216;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) valuation on Tuesday amid the company&#8217;s surging stock price, projecting substantial cash flow growth for the data analytics firm through 2025.
What Happened: Shkreli, writing on X, stated that Palantir&#8217;s cash flow from operations (CFFO) should reach $1.8 billion in 2025 and potentially $2.7 billion by 2026. &#8220;It&#8217;s not as expensive as it looks,&#8221; he wrote, citing an 83x CFFO/FCF multiple for what he described as a &#8220;50% revenue grower with a lot of expense slack.&#8221;
His comments came as Palantir&#8217;s stock jumped 23.90% following strong <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43449486/palantir-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-us-revenue-up-52-customer-count-up-43-strong-guidance-this-is-a-new-phase-unlike-anything-that-has-come-before">fourth-quarter results</a> that exceeded analyst expectations. The company reported revenue of $827.52 million, beating estimates of $775.91 million, with earnings per share of 14 cents topping forecasts of 11 cents.
Palantir boasts a market capitalization of $236.42 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 525.32. Despite the strong rally, Palantir&#8217;s Relative Strength Index over a 14-day period stands at 80.36, suggesting the stock may be approaching overbought territory. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">i hear people throwing around the wrong numbers for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24PLTR&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$PLTR</a>. let me help you. CFFO for 2025 should be 1.8B. 2026 i would guess 2.7B. That&#39;s 83x CFFO/FCF for a 50% revenue grower (with a lot of expense slack). It&#39;s not as expensive as it looks.
&mdash; Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinShkreli/status/1886851180435026219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43484176/trump-says-us-will-take-over-gaza-strip-were-going-to-develop-it-create-thousands-of-jobs">Trump Says US Will Take Over Gaza Strip: &#8216;We&#8217;re Going To Develop It, Create Thousands Of Jobs&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The AI software company&#8217;s performance was particularly robust in its U.S. operations, with commercial revenue surging 64% year-over-year to $214 million and government revenue <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43452860/palantir-soars-23-after-hours-as-cramer-says-i-wont-let-you-down-and-dan-ives-calls-it-the-next-oracle-in-ai-boom">rising 45% to $343 million</a>. Customer count grew 43% compared to the previous year.
CEO Alex Karp emphasized the company&#8217;s position in the AI revolution, stating in a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43449486/palantir-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-us-revenue-up-52-customer-count-up-43-strong-guidance-this-is-a-new-phase-unlike-anything-that-has-come-before">letter to shareholders</a>, &#8220;We are still in the earliest stages, the beginning of the first act, of a revolution that will play out over years and decades.&#8221;
Analysts have responded positively, with several firms <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/02/43463909/palantir-stock-is-surging-tuesday-whats-going-on">raising their price targets</a>. Bank of America Securities maintained a Buy rating while lifting its target to $125, and Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to Equal-Weight with a new $95 target.
Palantir forecasts <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/02/43463909/palantir-stock-is-surging-tuesday-whats-going-on">adjusted free cash flow</a> between $1.5 billion and $1.7 billion for the year.
Shkreli&#8217;s analysis comes after serving time for securities fraud related to his previous hedge fund management activities. While controversial, his background includes experience in financial analysis and pharmaceutical industry investments <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/21/11/23904774/wall-street-crime-and-punishment-martin-shkreli-the-self-destructive-pharma-bro">before his 2017 conviction</a>.
Price Action: Palantir closed at $103.83 on Tuesday, marking a 23.99% surge for the day. However, in after-hours trading, it edged down 0.90% to $102.90, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43484922/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-drops-as-trumps-crypto-czar-announces-oversight-committee-eric-trump-says-great-time-to-add-eth">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Drops As Trump&#8217;s &#8216;Crypto Czar&#8217; Announces Oversight Committee: Eric Trump Says &#8216;Great Time&#8217; To Add ETH</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.

Equities

Markets

PLTR

'Pharma Bro' Martin Shkreli Defends Palantir's Valuation Amid 24% Surge, Says AI Firm's Cash Flow Justifies 'Expensive' Price

On Tuesday, OpenAI introduced a comprehensive rebranding initiative featuring a new logo and typeface.
What Happened: The revamped logo, referred to as a &#8220;blossom,&#8221; showcases a slightly larger central space and refined lines.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="721" height="721" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231210/OpenAI-black-monoblossom.png" alt="" class="wp-image-766116" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231210/OpenAI-black-monoblossom.png 721w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231210/OpenAI-black-monoblossom-300x300.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231210/OpenAI-black-monoblossom-150x150.png 150w" sizes="(max-width: 721px) 100vw, 721px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source: OpenAI &#x7C; The redesigned OpenAI &#8216;Blossom&#8217; logo</figcaption></figure>
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41087674/openais-searchgpt-set-to-disrupt-googles-search-empire-as-former-engineer-sounds-alarm-on-deteriorat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI's SearchGPT Set To Disrupt Google's Search Empire As Former Engineer Sounds Alarm On Deteriorating User Experience Amid Rising Competition</a>
Initially crafted by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and co-founder Ilya Sutskever, the redesign was executed by an internal team led by Veit Moeller and Shannon Jager, <a href="https://www.wallpaper.com/tech/openai-has-undergone-its-first-ever-rebrand-giving-fresh-life-to-chatgpt-interactions">reported</a> Wallpaper. This transformation is designed to project a &#8220;more organic and more human&#8221; image.
The AI startup has also launched a new typeface, OpenAI sans, which merges geometric precision with a rounded, inviting character. For example, the wordmark&#8217;s &#8220;O&#8221; features a perfectly round exterior and an imperfect interior, aiming to counter robotic precision, according to Moeller.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="458" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231455/OpenAI-black-wordmark-1024x458.png" alt="" class="wp-image-766124" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231455/OpenAI-black-wordmark-1024x458.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231455/OpenAI-black-wordmark-300x134.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231455/OpenAI-black-wordmark-768x344.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231455/OpenAI-black-wordmark-1536x688.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/04231455/OpenAI-black-wordmark.png 1604w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source: OpenAI &#x7C; OpenAI&#8217;s wordmark is displayed in OpenAI Sans.</figcaption></figure>
When questioned about the role of AI tools like ChatGPT in the design process, Moeller said that the team used AI to calculate type weights.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: On the same day, a federal judge ruled that parts of Elon Musk&#8217;s lawsuit against OpenAI will <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43484737/chatgpt-maker-openais-future-hangs-in-the-balance-as-judge-says-musks-lawsuit-will-partially-proceed-to-trial">proceed to trial</a>. The lawsuit challenges OpenAI&#8217;s shift to a for-profit model.
Last month, it was reported that SoftBank Group is in talks to lead a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/media/25/01/43374528/softbank-may-lead-openais-40-billion-funding-round-at-a-300-billion-valuation-despite-deepseek-disruption-report">$40 billion funding round</a> for OpenAI, potentially valuing the company at $300 billion.
In October 2024, the Altman-led <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41149788/openai-valuation-soars-to-157b-in-latest-funding-round">startup raised over $6.5 billion</a>, bringing its valuation to $157 billion.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42900858/apple-announced-iphone-18-years-ago-today-changing-the-smartphone-industry-forever-heres-how-much-youd-have-now-if-you-invested-1000-back-then" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Announced iPhone 18 Years Ago Today, Changing The Smartphone Industry Forever. Here's How Much You'd Have Now If You Invested $1,000 Back Then</a></li>
</ul>
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock
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.

OpenAI's Big Rebrand: ChatGPT-Parent Wants To Reflect A 'More Organic' Future With New Logo, Typeface

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>) revealed that its artificial intelligence-powered search features are achieving monetization rates comparable to traditional search results, marking a milestone in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43479274/alphabet-q4-earnings-highlights-ai-cloud-youtube-momentum-continues-capex-guidance-sends-shares-lower">the company&#8217;s AI strategy</a>.
What Happened: During Alphabet&#8217;s fourth-quarter of 2024 earnings call, Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler announced that AI overviews, the company&#8217;s AI-enhanced search feature, is delivering revenue at &#8220;approximately the same rate&#8221; as conventional search results. 
This performance suggests the successful integration of AI technology without sacrificing the company&#8217;s core revenue engine.
The development is particularly noteworthy given that search advertising remains Alphabet&#8217;s largest revenue source, generating $54 billion in the fourth quarter, up 13% from the previous year. The successful monetization of AI features comes as the company significantly expands its AI infrastructure, announcing a planned $75 billion capital expenditure for 2025.
&#8220;AI overviews continue to drive higher satisfaction and search usage,&#8221; Schindler noted during the earnings call, indicating that the technology is not only matching revenue expectations but also improving user engagement. This is especially pronounced among younger users, suggesting potential for long-term growth in user adoption.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43484922/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-drops-as-trumps-crypto-czar-announces-oversight-committee-eric-trump-says-great-time-to-add-eth">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Drops As Trump&#8217;s &#8216;Crypto Czar&#8217; Announces Oversight Committee: Eric Trump Says &#8216;Great Time&#8217; To Add ETH</a>
Why It Matters: The company reported that AI overviews are now available in more than 100 countries, while its newer Circle to Search feature has been rolled out to over 200 million Android devices. Users who have tried Circle to Search now initiate more than 10% of their searches through this feature, demonstrating strong user adoption of AI-powered search tools.
Google faces growing competition in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37412558/watch-out-google-openai-perplexity-ai-reportedly-raising-additional-money-at-significantly-higher-va">AI search market</a> from OpenAI's SearchGPT, Perplexity AI, Microsoft's AI-powered Bing, and China's DeepSeek, all offering advanced conversational and real-time search capabilities.
Price Action: Alphabet&#8217;s Class A stock declined 7.59% in after-hours trading to $190.71, while Class C shares fell 7.27% to $192.60, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43484615/cathie-wood-led-ark-invest-dumps-7m-worth-of-palantir-stock-amid-searing-rally">Cathie Wood-Led Ark Invest Dumps $7M Worth Of Palantir Stock Amid Searing Rally</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.

GOOG

GOOGL

Google AI's Search Revenue Matches Traditional Ads, Says Alphabet But There Is Rising Competition From OpenAI, Perplexity, DeepSeek

Gold prices surged to an unprecedented high of $2,849.05 per ounce on Wednesday, driven by renewed U.S.-China trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East. The precious metal has demonstrated resilience this year, posting a 7.31% year-to-date gain, outperforming Bitcoin&#8216;s (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) 4.27% increase during the same period.
What Happened: The latest rally came after former President Donald Trump imposed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43462165/china-strikes-retaliatory-measures-against-us-following-trumps-10-tariffs-its-much-less-than-proportional-analyst-says">a 10% tariff on Chinese imports</a>, prompting a measured response from Beijing. 
Peter Schiff, a prominent economist and gold advocate, views current market dynamics as bullish. &#8220;The fact that the public is selling and not buying is extremely bullish for gold. It&#8217;s a contrarian indicator,&#8221; Schiff posted on X, suggesting that retail investors might return to the market at higher price levels.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">I forgot to mention it, but the fact that the public is selling and not buying is extremely bullish for gold. It&#39;s a contrarian indicator. Retail gold investors will eventually stop selling, and later, the general public will start buying, but at much higher prices.
&mdash; Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1886926686681489803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43484615/cathie-wood-led-ark-invest-dumps-7m-worth-of-palantir-stock-amid-searing-rally">Cathie Wood-Led Ark Invest Dumps $7M Worth Of Palantir Stock Amid Searing Rally</a>
Why It Matters: Market sentiment received additional support from Trump&#8217;s proposal to assume <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43484176/trump-says-us-will-take-over-gaza-strip-were-going-to-develop-it-create-thousands-of-jobs">U.S. control over Gaza Strip</a> reconstruction, adding another layer of geopolitical complexity to the precious metal&#8217;s appeal. However, analysts note that persistent high interest rates could potentially cap gold&#8217;s upside.
Gold futures for April delivery reached $2,879.49, up 0.13%, reflecting strong demand. The metal has appreciated 7.56% since Trump&#8217;s November election victory, though this performance trails Bitcoin&#8217;s 40.15% surge over the same timeframe.
The metal&#8217;s performance comes at a time when investors are closely monitoring potential inflationary pressures that could emerge from new tariffs, possibly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/25/02/43468406/treasury-etfs-in-focus-as-trumps-tariffs-feds-rate-decision-shake-bond-markets">influencing Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions</a>. 
Despite the robust rally, market participants remain vigilant about interest rate trajectories, which traditionally have an inverse relationship with gold prices.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43484922/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-drops-as-trumps-crypto-czar-announces-oversight-committee-eric-trump-says-great-time-to-add-eth">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Drops As Trump&#8217;s &#8216;Crypto Czar&#8217; Announces Oversight Committee: Eric Trump Says &#8216;Great Time&#8217; To Add ETH</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.

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

Cryptocurrency

Commodities

$BTC

Gold Outshines Bitcoin As Trump's Gaza Plan, US-China Tensions Fuel Rally—Peter Schiff Calls It 'Extremely Bullish'

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) has increased the monthly subscription cost for its AppleCare+ service across all iPhone models in the U.S.&nbsp;
What Happened: Apple has raised the monthly fee for AppleCare+ by 50 cents. The standard AppleCare+ for the iPhone 16 now costs $10.49 per month, up from $9.99, <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/2025/02/04/applecare-iphone-price-increase/">reported</a> MacRumors on Tuesday.
This price hike affects all current iPhone models, including both the standard and Theft and Loss plans. However, the two-year AppleCare+ subscription prices, service fees, and deductibles remain unchanged, with the increase specific to monthly payments.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43425734/apple-watch-faces-are-a-mess-series-10s-biggest-feature-is-limited-to-just-four-faces-frustrating-users">Apple Watch Faces Are A Mess — Series 10&#8217;s Biggest Feature Is Limited To Just Four Faces, Frustrating Users</a>
Moreover, Apple has not changed the AppleCare+ subscription prices for iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch.
Apple did not immediately respond to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga's</a> request for comments.
Why It Matters: On Sunday, Bloomberg&#8217;s Mark Gurman reported that Apple retail stores will stop offering AppleCare+ as a one-time purchase starting next week. Instead, AppleCare+ will only be available as a subscription in stores.
For instance, coverage for the iPhone 16 Pro Max costs $9.99 per month (before the price increase) or a one-time payment of $199 for two years. However, the upfront payment option will no longer be available in physical stores.
For now, Apple will continue to offer one-time AppleCare+ purchase options through its online store, he said.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Last year, Apple also decided to increase the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40870767/apple-wants-you-to-pay-more-for-iphone-16-battery-replacement-heres-how-much-it-will-cost">cost of battery replacements</a> for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max by $20, bringing the new price to $119. The cost for battery replacement in the standard and "Plus" models remained unchanged.
Apple&#8217;s recent <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43355688/apple-q1-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-iphone-sales-slip-installed-base-climbs-to-all-time-high-our-best-quarter-ever">first-quarter earnings</a> report revealed a revenue beat, with fiscal first-quarter revenue of $124.3 billion, surpassing analyst estimates. Services revenue reached $26.34 billion, an increase from $23.12 billion compared to the previous year.
Price Action: Apple&#8217;s stock declined 0.021% in after-hours trading, settling at $232.75. Earlier on Tuesday, it closed at $232.80, marking a 2.10% increase, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
Image via Shutterstock
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221770/apples-ipad-turns-15-today-heres-a-throwback-to-when-steve-jobs-explained-called-it-the-third-category-after-phones-and-notebooks">Apple's iPad Turns 15 Today: Here's A Throwback To When Steve Jobs Explained Called It The ‘Third Category' After Phones And Notebooks</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Media

AAPL

Apple Raises Monthly AppleCare+ Prices For All iPhones— And You Can No Longer Buy The Warranty Upfront In Stores

The U.S. stock market showed a positive trend on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite surging by over 260 points to end the day at 19,654.02. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also rose by 0.3% to 44,556.04, while the S&amp;P 500 gained 0.7% to 6,037.88.
Let&#8217;s turn our attention to the five stocks that captured the interest of retail traders and investors throughout the day.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>)
The company&#8217;s stock rose by 4.58% to close at $119.50. The intraday high and low were $119.85 and $114.79 respectively, with a 52-week range of $112.80 to $227.30. AMD reported <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43480688/amd-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-data-center-continued-growth">fourth-quarter earnings</a> that beat analyst estimates, with revenue of $7.66 billion and adjusted earnings of $1.09 per share.
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>)
Alphabet&#8217;s Class C stock increased by 2.50% to close at $207.71. The intraday high was $208.7, and the low was $204.26. The stock&#8217;s 52-week range is $131.55 to $208.70. The company&#8217;s Class A stock ended the day 2.6% higher at $206.38. Both Class A and Class C shares plunged in the after-hours session by 7.6% and 7.3% respectively. The tech giant reported strong fourth-quarter results, with <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43479274/alphabet-q4-earnings-highlights-ai-cloud-youtube-momentum-continues-capex-guidance-sends-shares-lower">continued momentum</a> in AI, Cloud, and YouTube. However, the $75 billion CapEx guidance spooked investors.
Snap Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNAP#NYSE">SNAP</a>)
Snap&#8217;s stock soared by 3.85% to close at $11.60. The intraday high and low were $11.71 and $11.19, respectively, with a 52-week range of $8.29 to $17.50. The company reported fourth-quarter earnings and revenue that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/02/43480179/snap-stock-soars-after-q4-eps-revenues-beat-details">beat analyst estimates</a>. The Benzinga report noted that Snap had 453 million daily active users in the fourth quarter, up 9% year-over-year.
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMG#NYSE">CMG</a>)
Chipotle&#8217;s stock rose by 1.13% to close at $59.02. The intraday high and low were $59.19 and $58.28, respectively, with a 52-week range of $47.98 to $69.26. The company reported fourth-quarter earnings that beat estimates but <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/general/restaurants/25/02/43479897/chipotle-q4-earnings-revenue-miss-eps-beat-focus-on-generous-portions-drives-food-costs-higher-shares-slide">missed on revenue</a>. The company&#8217;s focus on &#8216;generous portions&#8217; drove food costs higher.
Tesla Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)
Tesla&#8217;s stock climbed by 2.22% to close at $392.21. The intraday high and low were $394 and $381.40, respectively, with a 52-week range of $138.80 to $488.54. The company introduced a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43457599/tesla-hikes-foundation-series-cybertruck-price-by-as-much-as-116-in-canada-introduces-non-foundation-series">cheaper Cybertruck version</a> in Canada while raising Foundation Series prices. 
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Prepare for the day&#8217;s trading <a href="https://editorial.benzinga.com/wp-admin/Premarket%20Movers%20&amp;%20News">with top premarket movers and news</a> by Benzinga.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43484615/cathie-wood-led-ark-invest-dumps-7m-worth-of-palantir-stock-amid-searing-rally">Cathie Wood-Led Ark Invest Dumps $7M Worth Of Palantir Stock Amid Searing Rally</a></li>
</ul>
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

SNAP

AMD, Alphabet, Snap, Chipotle, And Tesla: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

Major cryptocurrencies declined sharply on Tuesday following the announcement of a new regulatory oversight committee, with total market liquidations reaching nearly $485 million in the past 24 hours.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 8.15 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>-2.96%</td>
<td>$98,240.17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td>
<td>-4.15%</td>
<td>$2,735.57</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td>
<td>-7.19%</td>
<td>$0.2649</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
What Happened: The leading cryptocurrency dropped to $97,924.27, its lowest level in the last 24 hours of trading, while the broader crypto market capitalization fell 2.92% to $3.23 trillion. 
The decline coincided with newly appointed &#8220;Crypto Czar&#8221; David Sacks announcing the formation of a bipartisan, bicameral committee to establish a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43477333/crypto-czar-sacks-says-potential-bitcoin-reserve-to-be-one-of-crypto-committees-first-priorities">regulatory framework for digital assets</a>.
Ethereum also experienced downward pressure despite social media attention from Eric Trump, who suggested on X that &#8220;it&#8217;s a great time to add $ETH.&#8221; 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">In my opinion, it's a great time to add <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a>.
&mdash; Eric Trump (@EricTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricTrump/status/1886541132903133230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
The second-largest cryptocurrency&#8217;s decline followed Dogecoin&#8217;s retreat after its 15% rally on Monday.
The market turbulence triggered significant trading activity, with over 161,000 traders facing liquidations. The total cryptocurrency open interest decreased by 5.61% to $113.45 billion, while trading volume dropped 43.19% to $194.42 billion, according to CoinGlass.
Market sentiment remains cautious, with the Crypto Fear and Greed Index reading 54 on Tuesday, indicating a neutral stance. 
Top Gainers (24-Hours)
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 8.15 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Official Melania Meme (MELANIA)</td>
<td>+11.56%</td>
<td>$1.65</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pudgy Penguins (PENGU)</td>
<td>+3.96%</td>
<td>$0.01374</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hyperliquid (HYPE)</td>
<td>+2.04</td>
<td>$25.55</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The cryptocurrency market&#8217;s decline occurred against a backdrop of mixed traditional market performance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 134.13 points, or 0.30%, closing at 44,556.04, while the S&amp;P 500 rose 0.72% to 6,037.88. 
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite, however, fell 1.35% to 19,654.02. Dow futures showed minimal movement in after-hours trading, down just 7 points as of 8:15 p.m. EDT.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43476777/shiba-inu-eyes-393-rally-dogecoin-targets-333-gains-whats-happening">Shiba Inu Eyes 393% Rally, Dogecoin Targets 333% Gains: What&#8217;s Happening?</a>
Analyst Notes:&nbsp; Leading cryptocurrency analyst Rekt Capital expects Bitcoin to consolidate between $98,300 and $101,000 in the near term. &#8220;Bitcoin revisited the $101k level&#8230; but failed the subsequent post-breakout retest of it into new support,&#8221; they noted. 
<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"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BTC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BTC</a> Bitcoin revisited the $101k level (black) In fact, Bitcoin even Daily Closed above it, but failed the subsequent post-breakout retest of it into new support BTC is probably going to consolidate between $98300 and $101000 for the time being<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crypto?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Crypto</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://t.co/X9EPlU6XtO">https://t.co/X9EPlU6XtO</a> <a href="https://t.co/UOysUdhAlr">pic.twitter.com/UOysUdhAlr</a>
&mdash; Rekt Capital (@rektcapital) <a href="https://twitter.com/rektcapital/status/1886773952980087156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Similarly, analyst Ali Martinez suggested Bitcoin is trading within a broader range between $90,900 and $108,500, with no clear directional trend.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> is consolidating between $90,900 and $108,500. Until we see a clear breakout beyond this range, the trend direction remains uncertain. <a href="https://t.co/JRyk9dLjlw">pic.twitter.com/JRyk9dLjlw</a>
&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1886875374463963312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Cryptocurrency analyst Michaël van de Poppe offered a contrarian view regarding Ethereum&#8217;s prospects following Eric Trump&#8217;s comments, stating, &#8220;The most hated trade is usually the best trade to take. If Trump bets massively on $ETH, it&#8217;s almost foolish to not follow that route at these valuations.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The most hated trade is usually the best trade to take. If Trump bets massively on <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a>, it&#39;s almost foolish to not follow that route at these valuations.
&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1886854990238458120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports-betting/25/02/43482999/robinhood-ends-super-bowl-lix-bets-plan-after-cftc-complaint">Robinhood Ends Super Bowl LIX Bets Plan After CFTC Complaint: &#8216;Work To Roll Out A More Comprehensive Contracts Platform Later This Year&#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.

$DOGE

$ETH

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Drops As Trump's 'Crypto Czar' Announces Oversight Committee: Eric Trump Says 'Great Time' To Add ETH

On Tuesday, a federal judge decided that parts of Elon Musk&#8217;s lawsuit against OpenAI will advance to trial. This legal battle centers on Musk&#8217;s efforts to halt OpenAI&#8217;s transition to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/24/12/42493076/openai-challenges-musks-lawsuit-reveals-2017-profit-talks">a for-profit model</a>.
What Happened: U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, based in Oakland, California, said Musk will be required to testify in court, reported Reuters.
&#8220;Something is going to trial in this case,&#8221; she stated, indicating that a jury will ultimately determine the outcome.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43453553/palantirs-shyam-sankar-us-is-at-war-with-china-in-ai-and-the-time-to-act-was-yesterday">Palantir&#8217;s Shyam Sankar: US Is At War With China In AI—And The Time To Act Was &#8216;Yesterday&#8217;</a>
The lawsuit, initiated by Musk last year, contests OpenAI&#8217;s shift from a nonprofit to a for-profit organization. Musk argues that the original mission was to develop AI for the benefit of humanity, not for profit.
OpenAI, which was co-founded by Musk in 2015, maintains that the transition is crucial to secure funding for AI development.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Last year in December, OpenAI <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42712683/openai-lays-out-its-for-profit-transition-plans-says-it-must-evolve-to-advance-its-agi-mission">outlined its plans to evolve</a> into a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) to align with its mission of ensuring artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all humanity.
OpenAI&#8217;s fundraising efforts, including a $6.6 billion round in October and a potential <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43327823/softbank-eyes-historic-25-billion-investment-in-openai-poised-to-dethrone-microsoft-as-chatgpt-parents-biggest-investor">$25 billion round</a> with SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>), depend on this restructuring.
Last month it was reported that SoftBank was in talks to lead a new funding round for OpenAI, potentially <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/media/25/01/43374528/softbank-may-lead-openais-40-billion-funding-round-at-a-300-billion-valuation-despite-deepseek-disruption-report">raising up to $40 billion</a>. This investment would value the ChatGPT-maker at $300 billion.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221770/apples-ipad-turns-15-today-heres-a-throwback-to-when-steve-jobs-explained-called-it-the-third-category-after-phones-and-notebooks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s iPad Turns 15 Today: Here&#8217;s A Throwback To When Steve Jobs Explained Called It The ‘Third Category&#8217; After Phones And Notebooks</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.

Legal

SFTBF

SFTBY

ChatGPT-Maker OpenAI's Future Hangs In The Balance As Judge Says Elon Musk's Lawsuit Will Partially Go To Trial

Editor&#8217;s Note: This story has been updated to clarify the correct price of a $1,000 investment in Meta at its IPO.
Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg once revealed to Sam Altman that one of the most painful moments in his career was not rejecting a billion-dollar acquisition offer—but watching his entire management team walk away because they disagreed with his decision.
What Happened: In a 2016 conversation with Altman, the then-president of Y Combinator, Zuckerberg reflected on Facebook's early struggles. He recalled the intense pressure to sell the company when Yahoo offered to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38351566/mark-zuckerberg-didnt-sell-facebook-for-1b-but-would-he-have-sold-for-5t-this-was-meta-ceos-thought">buy it for $1 billion</a>.
At the time, Facebook was still a small social network focused on college students, and many believed cashing out was the smart move. However, Zuckerberg and co-founder Dustin Moskovitz had a bigger vision—to expand Facebook beyond universities and turn it into a global platform.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43214225/apple-co-founder-steve-jobs-in-1981-said-homes-werent-ready-for-personal-computers-three-years-later-cupertino-launched-the-macintosh-and-made-history">Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs In 1981 Said Homes Weren&#8217;t Ready For Personal Computers — Three Years Later, Cupertino Launched The Macintosh And Made History</a>
"At the end of that, Dustin and I just decided, you know, we think that we can actually go connect more than just the 10 million people who are in school," Zuckerberg said. "We can go beyond that and have this really be a successful thing, we just had to go for it."&nbsp;&nbsp;
But, the decision had consequences. "A huge amount of the company quit because they didn't believe in what we were doing," he admitted. "The whole management team was gone within about a year after that."&nbsp;&nbsp;
For Zuckerberg, the real pain wasn't rejecting the deal—it was realizing that many of the people he trusted to help build Facebook didn't believe in him.&nbsp;
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="Mark Zuckerberg : How to Build the Future" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lb4IcGF5iTQ?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 Matters: Founded on Feb. 4, 2004, in a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/23/05/32461106/if-you-invested-1-000-in-facebook-stock-at-ipo-11-years-ago-heres-how-much-youd-have-now">Harvard dorm room</a>, Facebook started as a social network for college students.
By the time Yahoo made its offer in 2006, the company had grown to at least 10 million users. Had Zuckerberg sold, Facebook might never have evolved into the global tech giant it is today.
Instead, Facebook, which became Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) in 2021, continued to expand. By 2008, Facebook had amassed 100 million users, and in 2012, it went public in what was the largest IPO in history at the time, valuing the company at $104 billion.&nbsp;
An investor who put $1,000 into <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/02/36937315/happy-20-facebook-if-you-invested-1-000-in-mark-zuckerbergs-social-network-when-it-went-public-1">Facebook at its IPO</a> price of $38 would have received approximately 26.31 shares. At Tuesday&#8217;s closing price of $704.19, those shares would now be valued at around $18,531.31.
Some of Facebook's earliest investors included Peter Thiel and Reid Hoffman. The company acquired Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014. It also acquired Oculus to enter the virtual reality space in 2014.
The company today has a market capitalization of $1.784 trillion, making it the seventh most valuable company in the world. Last month, Meta reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/01/43322201/meta-platforms-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-daily-actives-up-5-continued-strong-revenue-growth-expected">fourth-quarter revenue</a> of $48.39 billion, surpassing analyst expectations of $47.03 billion.
Image source &#8211; Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40591422/steve-jobs-once-said-he-was-a-millionaire-at-23-worth-10m-by-24-and-had-100m-by-25-this-shaped-his-d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Steve Jobs Once Said He Was A Millionaire At 23, Worth $10M By 24, And Had $100M by 25 — This Shaped His Decision To Stay On A $1 Salary Throughout His Time At Apple</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.

Mark Zuckerberg Once Told Sam Altman That The Most Painful Moment In His Life Was Not Rejecting A $1 Billion Buyout Offer For Facebook But Losing An Entire Team — Here's Why (CORRECTED)

On Tuesday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest made notable trades, including the sale of shares in Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>). This move came as Palantir&#8217;s stock surged following its impressive fourth-quarter results and optimistic future guidance. The company reported a 36% increase in total revenue year-over-year, with significant growth in U.S. commercial and government sectors.
The PLTR Trade
Ark Invest, through its ARK Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#NYSE">ARKK</a>), sold 71,069 shares of Palantir. The sale occurred on a day when Palantir&#8217;s stock closed at $103.83, marking a substantial increase of 23.99% from the previous day. This trade was valued at approximately $7.38 million. The decision to sell comes amid <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43373954/cathie-woods-ark-invest-dumps-over-10-million-worth-of-palantir-stock-as-ai-competition-heats-up">heightened competition</a> in the AI industry.
Palantir&#8217;s recent <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/02/43463909/palantir-stock-is-surging-tuesday-whats-going-on">financial performance</a> has been strong, with U.S. commercial revenue rising by 64% year-over-year to $214 million and U.S. government revenue increasing by 45% to $343 million. This growth has led to several analysts raising their price targets for the company.
Other Key Trades:
<ul>
<li>Accolade Inc (ACCD): Sold 198,395 shares by ARKG.</li>
<li>Illumina Inc (ILMN): Bought 54,082 shares by ARKK and 9,325 shares by ARKG.</li>
<li>10X Genomics Inc (TXG): Bought 101,912 shares by ARKK and 17,587 shares by ARKG.</li>
<li>Twist Bioscience Corp (TWST): Bought 18,460 shares by ARKK and 3,188 shares by ARKG.</li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43480859/trump-confirms-maximum-economic-pressure-on-iran-calls-chinas-tariff-retaliation-fine">Trump Confirms Maximum Economic Pressure On Iran, Calls China&#8217;s Tariff Retaliation &#8216;Fine&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

ETFs

ARKK

Cathie Wood-Led Ark Invest Dumps $7M Worth Of Palantir Stock Amid Searing Rally

TNXP

Trading Halt: Halted at 7:50:00 p.m. ET - Trading Halt: Halt News Pending

President Donald Trump has declared that the US will assume control of the Gaza Strip and economically develop it post the resettlement of Palestinians.
What Happened: As per a Reuters report on Tuesday, Trump made this unexpected declaration at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This came on the heels of Trump&#8217;s earlier proposition on the same day for the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries, referring to the region as a &#8220;demolition site.&#8221;
Trump said, &#8220;The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too. We&#8217;ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.&#8221; He further added that the U.S. would develop the region, creating thousands of jobs, and it could become a home to &#8220;the world&#8217;s people.&#8221;
Netanyahu commended Trump for &#8220;thinking outside the box with fresh ideas&#8221; and showing a readiness to challenge conventional thinking. However, Trump did not provide specifics on how the U.S. would take over the land of Gaza and occupy it long-term.
Trump also repeated his call for Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab states to permanently resettle Gazans, a suggestion that Arab leaders had previously rejected.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43480859/trump-confirms-maximum-economic-pressure-on-iran-calls-chinas-tariff-retaliation-fine">Trump Confirms Maximum Economic Pressure On Iran, Calls China&#8217;s Tariff Retaliation &#8216;Fine&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Trump&#8217;s announcement comes after a series of events that have shaped his stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In August, Trump had urged Netanyahu to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40417063/trump-says-he-encouraged-netanyahu-to-end-gaza-war-while-critizing-kamala-harris-for-demanding-cease">swiftly end the ongoing war in Gaza</a> during a press conference. He had criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their repeated ceasefire calls, arguing that it would only give Hamas a chance to regroup.
By January, Trump&#8217;s Middle East envoy was in Israel <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42933339/trumps-envoy-urges-netanyahu-for-gaza-deal-can-ceasefire-efforts-succeed-before-inauguration">pushing for a ceasefire</a> in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war before Trump's inauguration. Trump had set a firm deadline, demanding all hostages be released before his inauguration on January 20, with severe consequences if not met.
Image via Shutterstock
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43468887/robert-f-kennedy-nomination-advances-to-full-senate-vaccine-stocks-drop">Robert F. Kennedy&#8217;s Health Secretary Nomination Advances To Full Senate: Vaccine Stocks Drop</a></li>
</ul>
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

Politics

General

Trump Says US Will Take Over Gaza Strip: 'We're Going To Develop It, Create Thousands Of Jobs'

As Tesla gets ready to release its fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday, investors have been asking some pretty pointed questions in an online forum. Most of the inquiries center around two big topics: the company&#8217;s robotaxi plans and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/01/43310996/elon-musk-outshines-zuckerberg-200-billion-richer-dominates-politics-and-emerges-as-trumps-right-hand-po">Elon Musk</a>&#8216;s political activities and how they might impact Tesla&#8217;s future.
These questions are coming just weeks after Tesla reported its annual sales decline, so there's a lot riding on this earnings release. One of the most popular questions, with over 3,000 votes, asks whether Tesla still plans to roll out &#8220;unsupervised&#8221; Full Self-Driving technology in Texas and California this year.&nbsp;
Don't Miss:
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<li>Nancy Pelosi Invested $5 Million In An AI Company Last Year — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/elf-labs-nancy-pelosi">Here's How You Can Invest In Multiple Pre-IPO AI Startups With Just $1,000</a></li>
<li>Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart &amp; Target – <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share!</a></li>
</ul>
Back in October, Musk introduced Tesla's Cybercab robotaxi, claiming that fully autonomous Model 3 and Y vehicles would be on the roads in both states by 2025. But Tesla is still waiting for the go-ahead to operate its cars autonomously in California, which is a key step for launching its robotaxi service there.
Aside from that, Tesla faces a number of regulatory challenges – particularly federal rules about autonomous vehicles, especially those without a steering wheel or pedals.&nbsp;
Musk's ties to the Trump administration could potentially play a role in smoothing out some of these regulatory obstacles. According to an NBC-2 report, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy hinted that the department may look into revising autonomous vehicle rules, which could potentially help Tesla's efforts.
Trending: Built on the trusted network of Fortune 500 companies, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/web3-enabler-the-most-boring-blockchain-company-partners-with-salesforce">this blockchain company partners with Salesforce to uproot lengthy and expensive B2B transactions, and you can invest with just $100.</a>
Investors are also curious about Tesla's Optimus robot, which Musk has said will enter limited production this year, with plans for broader availability to other companies in 2026. It seems there's a lot of anticipation around this product as part of Tesla's expanding lineup.
But while most of the questions focus on Tesla&#8217;s products, some investors raised concerns about Musk's political involvement. One investor, representing nearly 600,000 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/11/41866041/if-you-want-a-new-tesla-cybertruck-you-can-get-it-built-and-delivered-in-10-days-thats-not-a-good-thing-for-the-ev-company">Tesla</a> shares, asked how the company could function with a part-time CEO, considering Musk&#8217;s commitments to SpaceX, Twitter (now X) and his involvement with Dogecoin.&nbsp;
Other investors voiced concerns about potential changes to the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles, which Musk has supported, and how trade tensions with China could impact sales.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/elon-musk-told-the-u-n-if-they-could-show-a-plan-for-ending-world-hunger-hed-donate-6-billion-i-will-sell-tesla-stock-right-now-and-do-it">Elon Musk Told The U.N. If They Could Show A Plan For Ending World Hunger He'd Donate $6 Billion – ‘I Will Sell Tesla Stock Right Now And Do It'</a>
One of the more pointed questions came from an investor who referenced Musk's controversial actions during President Donald Trump's inauguration, wondering how Tesla could manage consumer relations given Musk's public political stances. This investor was clearly concerned about how such actions could affect the company's image and, ultimately, its bottom line.
Despite these concerns, Tesla's stock is performing well. As of Jan. 30, 2025, Tesla&#8217;s stock (TSLA) was trading at $405.85, reflecting a 4.3% increase from the previous close, with a market value now sitting at $1.25 trillion.
Read Next:
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<li>Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/boxabl"> you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today.</a></li>
<li>Inspired by Uber and Airbnb &#8211; Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets &#8211; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">with $1,000 you can invest at just $0.26/share!</a></li>
</ul>

Startups

Elon Musk Is 'All-In' On Trump – Tesla Investors Holding 600,000+ Shares Question If He Can Still Run A $1.25 Trillion Company

El Salvador's President <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/nayib-bukele">Nayib Bukele</a> says he will incarcerate convicted criminals from the U.S. in his country, a macabre offer that is being praised as an "unprecedented" by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Bukele made the proposal while hosting Rubio at his residence near San Salvador on Monday. He said El Salvador is prepared to imprison convicted Americans, for a small fee of course, in an infamous mega-prison opened a year ago, the largest in Latin America.
"We have offered the United States of America the opportunity to outsource part of its prison system," Bukele <a href="https://x.com/nayibbukele/status/1886606794614587573">wrote</a> on X. "The fee would be relatively low for the U.S. but significant for us, making our entire prison system sustainable."
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Such A Good Friend</h1>
"In an act of extraordinary friendship to our country … [El Salvador] has agreed to the most unprecedented and extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world," Rubio told reporters Monday.
In addition to loving the U.S., Bukele also loves Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), making El Salvador the first country to adopt it as its legal tender in 2021.
"He has offered to house in his jails dangerous American criminals in custody in our country, including those with U.S. citizenship and legal residency. No country's ever made an offer of friendship such as this. We are profoundly grateful," gushed Rubio.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Is That Even Legal?</h1>
Not at all.
"The U.S. is absolutely prohibited from deporting U.S. citizens, whether they are incarcerated or not," Leti Volpp, a law professor at the University of California/Berkeley who specializes in immigration law, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/03/americas/el-salvador-migrant-deal-marco-rubio-intl-hnk/index.html">told CNN</a> in an email.
It is unclear whether the U.S. government will take up Bukele's offer though Elon Musk seemed to quite like it. He took to X <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1886622263690072526">where he called</a> it a "great idea," so one can assume the plan has a pretty good chance being accepted by President Donald Trump. &nbsp;
<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">Great idea!! <a href="https://t.co/7924xQYiun">https://t.co/7924xQYiun</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1886622263690072526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Bukele has made El Salvador's prison system — known for rampant human rights violations, violence and overcrowding — part of his anti-crime and anti-gang program. Since March 2022, more than 84,000 people have been arrested, most with no due process, <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/12/el-salvador-policies-practices-legislation-violate-human-rights/">according</a> to Amnesty International.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Can't U.S. Prisons House U.S. Citizens?</h2>
Apparently, there are too many criminals. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has prioritized arresting and deporting millions of undocumented individuals. His administration also plans to detain 30,000 migrants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CXW#NYSE">CXW</a>) and the GEO Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GEO#NYSE">GEO</a>) have historically secured substantial contracts with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) <a href="https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/more-of-the-same-private-prison-corporations-and-immigration-detention-under-the-biden-administration">data</a> found that private prison corporations have pocketed billions from ICE detention contracts in the past two decades. But even they are filling to capacity it seems.
Now Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43455529/el-salvador-buys-the-dipnayib-bukele-led-nation-purchases-bitcoin-worth-over-a-million-after-market-crash">El Salvador Goes Bigger on Bitcoin: Daily Purchase Jumps 10x Amid Market Slump</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Government

Latin America

Global

Bukele's Big House: El Salvador Offers US A Prison Deal Like No Other, Musk Says 'Great Idea'

Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) is set to announce its fourth-quarter financial results on Wednesday before the opening bell. Here's a look at what to watch <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/technicals/25/02/43475816/uber-stock-bullish-q4-earnings-bigger-rally">when the company reports. </a>
What To Watch: Investors will be interested in several of Uber's key performance indicators including gross bookings and monthly active platform consumers, MAPCs.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Uber's gross bookings grew by 16% to $40.97 billion in the third quarter, though this growth rate was slower than the previous year. The company reported 161 million users in the third quarter, up 13.4% year-over-year. 
Uber delivered record quarterly margins for both Mobility and Delivery in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/41692232/ubers-q3-review-analysts-see-opportunity-amid-growth-slowdown-strong-margins-and-ex">third quarter </a>and the Street will be looking to see if the ride-hailing giant can deliver again. 
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43474797/amazon-faces-trumps-tariffs">Amazon &#8216;Relatively Well-Positioned&#8217; To Face Trump&#8217;s Tariffs: Analyst</a>&nbsp;
Expert Ideas: Several analysts updated coverage on Uber stock heading into the fourth-quarter print:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>UBS analyst Lloyd Walmsley maintained with a Buy but lowered the price target from $114 to $107.</li>
<li>Piper Sandler analyst Thomas Champion maintained an Overweight rating and lowered the price target from $98 to $82.</li>
<li>Cantor Fitzgerald maintained its Overweight rating and raised the price target from $75 to $80.</li>
<li>Needham analyst Bernie McTernan reiterated with a Buy and maintained a $90 price target.</li>
</ul>
According to estimates from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>, analysts expect Uber to report quarterly earnings of 49 cents per share on revenue of $11.77 billion. The company missed expectations on both the top and bottom lines in the third quarter.  
Uber shares are up more than 15% year-to-date after trading mostly flat through 2024.&nbsp;
UBER Price Action: According to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>, Uber shares rose 3.66% in Tuesday's session to close at $69.75.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43468887/robert-f-kennedy-nomination-advances-to-full-senate-vaccine-stocks-drop">Robert F. Kennedy&#8217;s Health Secretary Nomination Advances To Full Senate: Vaccine Stocks Drop&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Earnings

Previews

UBER

Uber Q4 Earnings Preview: Gross Bookings, Margins On Watch

Centene (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNC#NYSE">CNC</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 2.02% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 10.38%. Currently, Centene has a market capitalization of $30.94 billion. 
Buying $100 In CNC: If an investor had bought $100 of CNC stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $738.88 today based on a price of $61.29 for CNC at the time of writing.
<h3>Centene's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1738711813_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Trading Ideas

Here's How Much $100 Invested In Centene 20 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

American Tower (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMT#NYSE">AMT</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 4.07% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 12.43%. Currently, American Tower has a market capitalization of $86.04 billion. 
Buying $1000 In AMT: If an investor had bought $1000 of AMT stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $10,485.76 today based on a price of $184.13 for AMT at the time of writing.
<h3>American Tower's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1738711035_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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