TaskUs

TaskUs Inc is a provider of outsourced digital services and next-generation customer experience to inventive and disruptive technology companies. It serves clients in the fastest-growing sectors, including social media, e-commerce, gaming, streaming media, food delivery and ridesharing, HiTech, FinTech and HealthTech.

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TaskUs gets upgrade by Morgan Stanley analyst, citing potential to grow due to exposure to key customers Meta Platforms and Open AI.

TaskUs An &#39;Underappreciated Beneficiary Of AI Investment,&#39; Says Analyst, Has Meta Platforms As Key Client

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The Bear Cave Issues Report On TaskUs: What To Know

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Costco To Rally More Than 10%? Here Are 10 Top Analyst Forecasts For Thursday

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Germany Unemployment Rate For February Unchanged At 6.2% Vs. 6.2% Est.

Germany Unemployment Change For February 5K Vs. 14K Est.; 11K Prior

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GRVY

Gravity Game Hub Launches New Game Ragnarok Idle Adventure Plus Globally

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) has cautioned the Trump administration that the Biden-era &#8220;AI Diffusion Rule,&#8221; might inadvertently strengthen China&#8217;s rapidly expanding AI sector.
What Happened: In a company blog, Brad Smith, the Vice Chair &amp; President of Microsoft highlighted the issues related to the AI Diffusion Rule. In the last days of Joe Biden&#8217;s administration, the U.S. government announced tighter restrictions on AI chip and technology exports, aiming to retain advanced computing power within the country while expanding efforts to limit China&#8217;s access. 
However, it also classifies many significant U.S. allies and partners as Tier Two, restricting U.S. tech firms&#8217; capacity to construct and grow AI data centers in these nations. The countries affected include&nbsp;Poland, Switzerland, Greece, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Israel, the UAE, and&nbsp;Saudi Arabia.
Microsoft expressed concern that this could result in an unexpected outcome: prompting Tier Two nations&nbsp;to explore other options for AI&nbsp;infrastructure and services, possibly to the advantage of China&#8217;s AI sector.
&#8220;Left unchanged, the Biden rule will give China a strategic advantage in spreading over time its own AI technology, echoing its rapid ascent in 5G telecommunications a decade ago,&#8221; stated the Satya Nadella-led company.
The tech behemoth also pointed out the irony of the situation, as the rule discourages what should rather be considered an American economic opportunity &#8211; the export of cutting-edge chips and advanced technology services. It further proposed that the Trump administration could take advantage of this opportunity to simplify the rule, ensuring it does not erode the trust of American allies or disrupt a well-functioning economic market.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/44035087/activist-investor-valueact-once-linked-to-steve-ballmers-microsoft-exit-bought-meta-visa-sold-spotify-in-q3-a-smart-bet">Activist Investor ValueAct, Once Linked To Steve Ballmer&#8217;s Microsoft Exit, Bought Meta, Visa, Sold Spotify In Q3: A Smart Bet?</a>
Why It Matters: This development comes in the wake of President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43938959/trump-targets-chinas-tech-sector-with-stricter-biden-era-chip-curbs-it-will-backfire-says-beijing">reportedly considering stricter </a>measures on China&#8217;s semiconductor industry, a move seen as an extension of efforts initiated under the former President Joe Biden administration to curb China&#8217;s technological advancement. 
Microsoft&#8217;s Smith told the Wall Street Journal these restrictions will have a substantial negative impact on the U.S. economy by discouraging other countries from engaging in business with the U.S. Smith believes that startups like DeepSeek, offering cutting-edge AI models at a much lower chip cost, have strong potential to provide an alternative in such a situation.
According to the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, the Trump administration officials are considering measures to tighten restrictions while streamlining export-control regulations.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44034837/soundhound-ais-polaris-outperforms-google-and-openai-forays-in-energy-sector-with-seven-figure-deal-amid-q4-beat">SoundHound AI Says Polaris Speech Recognition Model Outperforms Google, OpenAI: Company Forays Into Energy Sector With 7-Figure Deal</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.

Equities

MSFT

Microsoft Urges Trump To Avoid This Critical Mistake In Global AI Race, Cautions It Will 'Give China A Strategic Advantage'

Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>) reported a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/44025754/dell-technologies-stock-climbs-after-mixed-q4-results-eps-beat-revenues-miss">mixed fourth quarter</a>, however, the management announced an 18% increase in annual dividend and said that it expects the artificial intelligence server business to grow by at least $15 billion in the fiscal year 2026.
What Happened: Despite a revenue miss in the fourth quarter, Dell&#8217;s management remained positive on its AI server business for the fiscal year 2026 during the earnings call.
Talking about the outlook, COO Jeff Clarke said, &#8220;We expect our AI business will grow to at least $15 billion given our robust opportunity pipeline, our engineering, our services and financing advantages. This AI business drives incremental operating profit and is EPS-accretive.&#8221;
Dell&#8217;s ISG business or Infrastructure Solutions Group unit that provides IT infrastructure, software, and services was also expected to grow because of the strength in the AI business.
CEO Yvonne McGill said, ISG will grow in the high teens, driven by $15 billion of AI server shipments and continued growth in traditional server and storage.
The CFO further said that the company will continue to update this estimate.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/02/44034215/rocket-lab-unveils-flatellite-low-cost-mass-producible-satellite-to-target-large-constellations-ami">Rocket Lab Unveils &#8216;Flatellite:&#8217; Low-Cost, Mass-Producible Satellite To Target Large Constellations Amid Weak Q1 Guidance</a>
Why It Matters: Dell topped <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/44025754/dell-technologies-stock-climbs-after-mixed-q4-results-eps-beat-revenues-miss">fourth quarter</a> earnings estimates with EPS of $2.68, but missed on revenue at $23.9 billion. For fiscal 2026, Dell forecasts revenue of $101-$105 billion and adjusted EPS of $9.30, roughly in line with analyst expectations.
&#8220;We're raising our annual dividend by 18%, demonstrating our commitment to shareholder return and confidence in our opportunity to grow in FY26,&#8221; said CEO McGill.
Price Action: Dell declined 6.77% on Thursday and fell further 1.23% in after-hours, this outpaced the 2.66% fall in the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), which tracks the S&amp;P 500 index.
The stock remains 7.47% lower on a year-to-date basis, however, it&#8217;s up 15.64% over a year.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DELL/analyst-ratings">Benzinga tracks 20 analysts</a> with an average price target of $134.05 for the stock, reflecting a &#8220;buy&#8221; rating. Estimates range widely from $53 to $185. Recent ratings from Northland Citigroup, B of A Securities, and Morgan Stanley average $141, suggesting a potential 32.39% upside.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DELL/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="380" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28023212/Dell-ANR-1024x380.png" alt="" class="wp-image-803054" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28023212/Dell-ANR-1024x380.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28023212/Dell-ANR-300x111.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28023212/Dell-ANR-768x285.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28023212/Dell-ANR.png 1063w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44003404/airbnb-costs-40-more-than-its-rivals-here-what-a-technical-deep-dive-shows" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Airbnb Is Nearly 40% More Expensive Than Its Rivals: Here's What Key Indicators For ABNB Stock Reveal</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

DELL

Dell Technologies Projects $15 Billion AI Server Revenue For FY26, Raises Dividend By 18% Amid A Mixed Quarter

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi Corp. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XIACY#OTC">XIACY</a>) cut the price of its luxury electric sedan SU7 Ultra by 35% to 529,900 yuan ($72,932) from the initially promoted 814,900 yuan ($111,842), strengthening its challenge against premium automakers like Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Porsche in China&#8217;s competitive EV market.
What Happened: CEO Lei Jun announced the significant price reduction during Thursday&#8217;s official launch event in Beijing, explaining that potential buyers who currently drive the BMW 5 series, Audi A6, and Mercedes-Benz E-class vehicles found the original price point prohibitive, Reuters reported.
&#8220;Our mission is that we should let more people who like us afford luxury cars,&#8221; Lei stated. The strategy appears effective, with Xiaomi reporting 6,900 orders within just 10 minutes after the announcement.
Xiaomi entered China&#8217;s crowded EV market last year with its regular SU7 model, priced under $30,000, which has already outpaced Tesla&#8217;s Model 3 in sales since the fourth quarter of 2024. The SU7 Ultra was initially positioned to compete directly with Tesla&#8217;s Model S Plaid, which sells for 814,900 yuan ($111,842) in China.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/44032246/sam-altman-calls-it-magic-as-openai-rolls-out-gpt-4-5-feels-like-talking-to-a-thoughtful-person-to-me">Sam Altman Calls It &#8216;Magic&#8217; As OpenAI Rolls Out GPT-4.5: &#8216;Feels Like Talking To A Thoughtful Person To Me&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The Ultra model features premium materials, enhanced seating, and upgraded audio systems compared to standard SU7 versions. Early buyers placing orders before March-end will receive perks including lifetime free access to Xiaomi&#8217;s HAD intelligent driving system, normally priced at 26,000 yuan.
Lei also took aim at Tesla&#8217;s recent autopilot software update in China, which &#8220;has gone viral over the past two days, but still needs users to pay more than 60,000 yuan,&#8221; highlighting competitive tensions in the autonomous driving space.
This aggressive pricing move comes as Chinese tech stocks, including Xiaomi, rallied last week on anticipated monetary easing from Beijing. However, Xiaomi shares tanked on Friday by 2.73% to 51.65 HKD ($6.64) in recent Hong Kong trading.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44035209/waymo-offering-200000-robotaxi-rides-per-week-says-alphabet-ceo-sundar-pichai">Waymo Offering 200,000 Robotaxi Rides Per Week, Says Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai: &#8217;20x Growth In Less Than 2 Years&#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.

TSLA

XIACY

Tesla Rival Xiaomi Slashes Luxury EV Price By 35% To Challenge Model S, Porsche In China

<h3>Companies Reporting Before The Bell</h3>
• Frontline (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FRO#NYSE">FRO</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.27 per share on revenue of $282.62 million. 
• Nordic American Tankers (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NAT#NYSE">NAT</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.04 per share on revenue of $53.07 million. 
• Fluent (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLNT#NASDAQ">FLNT</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.23 per share on revenue of $68.06 million. 
• Recursion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RXRX#NASDAQ">RXRX</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.41 per share on revenue of $18.17 million. 
• Oxford Square Cap (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OXSQ#NASDAQ">OXSQ</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.06 per share on revenue of $9.90 million. 
• Integral Ad Science (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IAS#NASDAQ">IAS</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.25 per share on revenue of $148.94 million. 
• PAR Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PAR#NYSE">PAR</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.08 per share on revenue of $99.26 million. 
• ANI Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANIP#NASDAQ">ANIP</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.31 per share on revenue of $175.12 million. 
• TeraWulf (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WULF#NASDAQ">WULF</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.02 per share on revenue of $37.36 million. 
• Global Partners (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLP#NYSE">GLP</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.90 per share on revenue of $5.80 billion. 
• Rapid Micro Biosystems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RPID#NASDAQ">RPID</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.22 per share on revenue of $7.60 million. 
• FuboTV (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FUBO#NYSE">FUBO</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.11 per share on revenue of $444.91 million. 
• Butterfly Network (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BFLY#NYSE">BFLY</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.08 per share on revenue of $21.01 million. 
• Natural Resources (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRP#NYSE">NRP</a>) is projected to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Apellis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APLS#NASDAQ">APLS</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.37 per share on revenue of $191.93 million. 
• Calumet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLMT#NASDAQ">CLMT</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.36 per share on revenue of $929.11 million. 
• 1stdibs.com (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIBS#NASDAQ">DIBS</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.00 per share on revenue of $22.02 million. 
• LandBridge (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LB#NYSE">LB</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.78 per share on revenue of $244.81 million. 
• Fulgent Genetics (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLGT#NASDAQ">FLGT</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.37 per share on revenue of $75.39 million. 
• Owens &amp; Minor (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OMI#NYSE">OMI</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.53 per share on revenue of $2.73 billion. 
• Amneal Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMRX#NASDAQ">AMRX</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.15 per share on revenue of $700.83 million. 
• Banco Latinoamericano (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLX#NYSE">BLX</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.44 per share on revenue of $251.03 million. 
• Chart Industries (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GTLS#NYSE">GTLS</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $3.23 per share on revenue of $1.18 billion. 
• Alpha Metallurgical (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMR#NYSE">AMR</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $1.12 per share on revenue of $683.10 million. 
• Docebo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DCBO#NASDAQ">DCBO</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.27 per share on revenue of $56.24 million. 
• Northwest Natural Hldg (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NWN#NYSE">NWN</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $1.49 per share on revenue of $395.05 million. 
<h3>Companies Reporting After The Bell</h3>
• BIT Mining (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BTCM#NYSE">BTCM</a>) is estimated to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Monroe Cap (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRCC#NASDAQ">MRCC</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.27 per share on revenue of $14.99 million. 
• Longeveron (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LGVN#NASDAQ">LGVN</a>) is projected to report quarterly loss at $0.36 per share on revenue of $660 thousand. 
• Middlesex Water (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSEX#NASDAQ">MSEX</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.37 per share on revenue of $45.00 million. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Earnings

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Earnings Scheduled For February 28, 2025

Waymo is now serving over 200,000 paid trips in its robotaxis each week, 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 said on Thursday.
What Happened: &#8220;Exciting new Waymo milestone: Waymo One is now serving 200k+ paid trips each week across LA, Phoenix and SF &#8211; that's 20x growth in less than two years!,&#8221; Pichai said in a post on social media platform X.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Exciting new <a href="https://twitter.com/Waymo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Waymo</a> milestone: Waymo One is now serving 200k+ paid trips each week across LA, Phoenix and SF &#8211; that's 20x growth in less than two years! Up next: Austin, Atlanta and Miami. <a href="https://t.co/K2bENRTjik">pic.twitter.com/K2bENRTjik</a>
&mdash; Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) <a href="https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1895188101645082980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
In late October, Waymo said that the company is now serving over 150,000 paid rides every week, implying that the company has added 50,000 rides per week in four months.
Waymo first started offering paid autonomous rides to members of the public in 2020 and currently operates its robotaxis in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
The company also plans to operate its robotaxis in Austin and Atlanta starting in 2025 as part of its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/09/40855784/uber-stock-spikes-as-ceo-praises-waymos-fully-autonomous-trips" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">partnership with Uber</a>.
In December, the company said that it would introduce its vehicle to streets in Miami in 2025 and launch ride-hail services to riders starting in 2026 via the Waymo One app.
Why It Matters: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40792410/us-autonomous-vehicle-sales-to-hit-230k-by-2034-after-progress-resumes-at-alphabets-waymo-gms-cruise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Waymo is currently the frontrunner&nbsp;</a>in the field of autonomous vehicles in the U.S.&nbsp;While General Motors' Cruise was at par with Waymo until 2023, it suspended all of its operations in the U.S. following the involvement of one of its robotaxis in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/10/35052444/self-driving-cruise-car-accident-leaves-pedestrian-trapped-and-injured-in-san-francisco" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accident in San Francisco</a>, and it subsequently ceased operations in late 2024.
EV giant Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), meanwhile, is also looking to start an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41288103/elon-musks-fully-autonomous-driving-dreams-now-scheduled-for-2025-but-regulatory-hurdles-stand-in-th" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">autonomous ride-hailing service</a> in Austin, Texas in June.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk envisions deploying the company's Model Y and Model 3 vehicles equipped with the company's full self-driving (FSD) driver assistance technology in Austin. While FSD currently requires active driver supervision, Musk and Tesla are optimistic that it can enable autonomous driving in time.
Musk said earlier this month that the company will also roll out robotaxis to American cities <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/44020824/tesla-seeks-california-ride-hailing-permit-amid-declining-ev-sales">beyond Austin before</a> the end of the year.
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/44000938/stellantis-executive-chairman-speaks-out-against-tariffs-on-vehicles-made-in-mexico-canada-real-opportunity-is-4m-cars-that-are-sold-in-america-that-dont-have-any-us-content" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stellantis Executive Chairman Speaks Out Against Tariffs On Vehicles Made In Mexico, Canada: ‘Real Opportunity Is… 4M Cars That Are Sold In America That Don't Have Any US Content'</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

GOOG

GOOGL

Waymo Offering 200,000 Robotaxi Rides Per Week, Says Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai: '20x Growth In Less Than 2 Years'

Activist investor ValueAct Holdings, L.P., known for its role in Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) leadership changes a decade ago, disclosed significant portfolio adjustments <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43518855/jeff-ubbens-valueact-bet-on-meta-visa-and-exited-spotify-in-q3-was-it-a-clever-move">in its third-quarter 13F filing</a> with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
What Happened: The San Francisco-based hedge fund established new positions in Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Visa Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>) while completely divesting its stake in Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>), according to the Nov. 14 filing. 
More recently, ValueAct initiated a position in Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) in the fourth quarter, purchasing 536,900 shares worth <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43875453/valueact-bets-119-million-on-amazon-as-analysts-see-25-upside-whats-driving-jeff-bezos-e-commerce-giant">approximately $119 million</a>.
ValueAct&#8217;s third-quarter moves have produced mixed results. Meta shares have risen 14.04% since the filing date, while Visa stock has increased 15.14%. 
However, Spotify recorded the strongest performance among the three, surging 23.71% despite ValueAct&#8217;s exit. This represents a potential missed opportunity worth about $76.63 million on the position ValueAct exited.
A ValueAct spokesperson confirmed to Benzinga that the firm has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/11/42006101/activist-hedge-fund-valueact-boosts-meta-stake-with-121m-bet-but-ceo-morfit-supports-mark-zuckerbergs-ai-vision-heres-what-investors-should-know">built a $1 billion stake in Meta</a>.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/44031605/bitcoin-ethereum-lose-dogecoin-gains-amid-trumps-tariff-war-moves-has-btc-hit-a-bottom-yet">Bitcoin, Ethereum Lose, Dogecoin Gains Amid Trump&#8217;s Tariff War Moves: Has BTC Hit A Bottom Yet?</a>
Why It Matters: ValueAct&#8217;s investment approach merits particular attention given its history of influential corporate activism. The firm, led by CEO Mason Morfit, employs event-driven strategies to influence corporate policy and enhance company value, typically taking a collaborative approach compared to more <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43518855/jeff-ubbens-valueact-bet-on-meta-visa-and-exited-spotify-in-q3-was-it-a-clever-move">confrontational activist funds</a>.
The investment firm made headlines in 2013 when it gained a board seat at Microsoft despite owning less than 1% of the company. This unprecedented move came just one week after then-CEO Steve Ballmer announced his retirement plan. Though both parties publicly denied ValueAct&#8217;s influence on Ballmer&#8217;s departure, analysts noted the timing raised questions.
&#8220;ValueAct I think played an indirect role in Steve&#8217;s retirement,&#8221; Rick Sherlund, an analyst with Nomura Securities, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323324904579045373716627460">told</a> The Wall Street Journal at the time. &#8220;ValueAct very much surfaced the interests of shareholders, and one of those interests is management succession.&#8221;
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Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

AMZN

SPOT

Activist Investor ValueAct, Once Linked To Steve Ballmer's Microsoft Exit, Bought Meta, Visa, Sold Spotify In Q3: A Smart Bet?

France Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (MoM) Preliminary For February 0.0% Vs. 0.3% Est.; -0.2% Prior

France Gross Domestic Product (YoY) For Q4 0.6% Vs. 0.7% Est.; 1.2% Prior

France Gross Domestic Product (QoQ) For Q4 -0.1% Vs. -0.1% Est.; 0.4% Prior

France Consumer Price Index (MoM) Preliminary For February 0.0% Vs. 0.5% Est.; 0.2% Prior

France Consumer Spending (MoM) For January -0.5% Vs. -0.6% Est.; 0.7% Prior

Each Unit Includes One Class A Ordinary Share and One Share Right to Receive 1/10th of a Class A Ordinary Share

IPOs

FERA

Reported Earlier, Fifth Era Acquisition Corp I Prices $200M Initial Public Offering Of 20M Units At $10/Unit

DA Davidson&#8216;s tech analyst,&nbsp;Gil Luria, anticipates a deceleration in growth for&nbsp;Nvidia Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) despite the company&#8217;s impressive performance.
What Happened:&nbsp;While discussing Nvidia&#8217;s earnings on CNBC&#8217;s &#8216;Squawk on the Street&#8217;, Luria noted that while the chipmaker&#8217;s fiscal year 2025 revenue more&nbsp;than doubled year-over-year to $130.5 billion, the company&#8217;s growth is expected to slow down. &#8220;This&nbsp;is as good as it&nbsp;gets for Nvidia,&#8221; he told on&nbsp;Thursday as the stock&nbsp;continued to see a sharp decline.
<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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According to Luria, the spending for Nvidia&#8217;s&nbsp;GPU chips by its most significant customers, such as&nbsp;Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>),&nbsp;Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), and&nbsp;Amazon (NASDAQ&#8221; AMZN), has probably reached its highest point. &#8220;Two&nbsp;of their three largest customers&nbsp;have said capex will be&nbsp;flat into the first half&nbsp;of the year,&#8221; he stated. Luria also expects 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>) to say so by the middle of the year. This is critical as just over one-third of Nvidia&#8217;s revenue comes from these three customers, as per the analyst.
Additionally, Luria also pointed out to Business Insider about the growing competition in the region, noting that Chinese labs are reportedly moving their inference workloads to GPU chips produced by Huawei. Additionally, the analyst sees Nvidia&#8217;s profit margin outlook as a key concern in its latest earnings report, as the company anticipates a gross profit margin of approximately 71% in the first quarter while managing the production ramp-up of its Blackwell GPUs.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/44029692/elon-musk-out-as-canadian-citizen-nearly-1-of-countrys-population-signs-petition-to-revoke-citizenship">Elon Musk Out As Canadian Citizen? Nearly 1% Of Country&#8217;s Population Signs Petition To Revoke Citizenship</a>
Why It Matters:&nbsp;Analyst Gil Luria doesn&#8217;t have a bearish outlook on Nvidia. He has a $135 price target on the stock with a &#8216;Neutral&#8217; rating. His primary concern lies in the pace of future growth. Nvidia's year-over-year revenue increase for the fourth quarter reached 78%, marking its slowest quarterly growth in nearly two years. This slowdown raises questions about whether the company's rapid expansion can be sustained.
Nevertheless, Luria&#8217;s worries contrast with those of others who have expressed confidence in Nvidia&#8217;s future growth. Anticipating a significant upside to the shares, JPMorgan explained that the first half of the year is usually weaker due to seasonal trends, but strong demand for PC gaming, data centers, and automotive sectors could help counterbalance this slowdown. Meanwhile, Rosenblatt analyst Kevin Cassidy views gross margin pressure and temporary networking weakness as near-term fluctuations. 
Nvidia stock dropped 8.48% to close at $120.15 on Thursday, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>. It has plummeted over 13% in 2025
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<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/44033587/nvidia-chips-smuggled-to-china-3-men-charged-in-singapore-amid-us-export-crackdown">Nvidia Chips Smuggled To China? 3 Men Charged In Singapore Amid US Export Crackdown</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.

NVDA

'This Is As Good As It Gets For Nvidia:' Analyst Says Jensen Huang-Led Chipmaker's Explosive Growth May Have Peaked As NVDA Stock Falls 13% This Year

SoundHound AI Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOUN#NASDAQ">SOUN</a>) speech recognition model &#8220;outperformed&#8221; Google and OpenAI during the fourth quarter, the company&#8217;s CEO said. The company also announced a new seven-figure deal, foraying into the energy sector as it exceeded analyst expectations in the fourth quarter.
What Happened: SoundHound achieved a new milestone as its multimodal and multilingual foundation model — Polaris outperformed the models from Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google along with OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>).
CEO Keyvan Mohajer, during the earnings call highlighted that Polaris was benchmarked against models in diverse, real-world conditions, including noisy environments and those requiring speed and low latency. The testing also accounted for variations in human speech, such as accents and background noise.
Against Google&#8217;s models, &#8220;We outperformed by north of 20% better accuracy. We also beat them on speed with four times better latency. Against OpenAI&#8217;s Whisper model, we are 26% to 36% more accurate on various benchmarks, and we are able to do this on models one-tenth of the size of what OpenAI uses,&#8221; added Mohajer.
The CEO further said &#8220;Our largest deal in Q4 was in energy.&#8221; Without disclosing many details, the management said that it was a seven-figure, multi-year deal.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44003404/airbnb-costs-40-more-than-its-rivals-here-what-a-technical-deep-dive-shows">Airbnb Is Nearly 40% More Expensive Than Its Rivals: Here&#8217;s What Key Indicators For ABNB Stock Reveal</a>
Why It Matters: SoundHound beat fourth quarter revenue estimates with $34.54 million, up 101% year-on-year. It also exceeded earnings expectations, reporting a 5 cent loss per share. The company reported an adjusted EBITDA loss of $16.8 million and ended the quarter with $198 million in cash.
SoundHound boosted its 2025 revenue guidance to $157 million-$177 million, up from the previous forecast of $155 million-$175 million.
&#8220;There will be a ramp in revenue through the year given the nature of our customer base, underlying seasonality, and expected large deal timing,&#8221; said CFO Nitesh Sharan. He added that the firm remains &#8220;committed&#8221; to the path to profitability. &#8220;We will get there through continued scale and through surgical high ROI investments,&#8221; Sharan said.
Price Action: SoundHound fell 3.76% on Thursday and jumped 8.9% in after-hours, this outpaced the 2.66% fall in the Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ONEQ#NASDAQ">ONEQ</a>), which tracks the Nasdaq Composite index.
The stock remains 54.32% lower on a year-to-date basis, however, it&#8217;s up 45.27% over a year.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SOUN/analyst-ratings">Benzinga tracks seven analysts</a> with an average price target of $12.36 for the stock, reflecting a &#8220;hold&#8221; rating. Estimates range widely from $7 to $26. Recent ratings from Northland Capital Markets, HC Wainwright &amp; Co., and HC Wainwright &amp; Co. average $20, suggesting a potential 99.40% upside.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SOUN/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="380" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28013705/SOUN-ANR-1024x380.png" alt="" class="wp-image-802960" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28013705/SOUN-ANR-1024x380.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28013705/SOUN-ANR-300x111.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28013705/SOUN-ANR-768x285.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28013705/SOUN-ANR.png 1059w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Read Next:
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Fidelity NASDAQmposite Index Fund ETF-Tracking NASDAQmposite Index

ONEQ

SOUN

SoundHound AI Says Polaris Speech Recognition Model Outperforms Google, OpenAI: Company Forays Into Energy Sector With 7-Figure Deal

FTAI Infrastructure (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIP#NASDAQ">FIP</a>) reported quarterly losses of $(1.24) per share which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $(0.37) by 235.14 percent. This is a 163.83 percent decrease over losses of $(0.47) per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $80.76 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $94.83 million by 14.84 percent. This is a 0.83 percent decrease over sales of $81.44 million the same period last year.

Earnings Misses

FTAI Infrastructure Q4 2024 GAAP EPS $(1.24) Misses $(0.37) Estimate, Sales $80.76M Miss $94.83M Estimate

Compensation for board members was reduced by 50%, and the Board of Directors has currently been reduced from nine members down to seven. Additionally, incentive awards granted to executive management and other associates have been reduced by more than 50% in aggregate relative to recent years. Ashford Trust expects that these changes will result in more than $11 million in incremental EBITDA, reinforcing the company's commitment to financial discipline and operational efficiency.

Reported Earlier, Ashford Trust Reduces Board Size And Cuts Executive Compensation By 50% As Part Of 'GRO AHT' Strategy

Continues Seacoast's Successful M&amp;A Strategy, Expanding its Footprint in Central Florida
Adds a Seasoned Franchise with a History of High Profitability and Low-Cost Core Deposits

SBCF

Reported Earlier, Seacoast Banking Acquires Heartland Bancshares In $110M Deal, Expanding Florida Market Presence

Press Releases

TaskUs, Inc. to Announce Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results on November 7, 2024

TaskUs Announces Fiscal Third Quarter 2024 Results

TaskUs and Red Points Announce Strategic Partnership To Enable Comprehensive Protection Against Digital Fraud and Counterfeits

TaskUs Named a Major Contender in Everest Group's B2B Sales Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2024

Legal

Kuehn Law Encourages Investors of TaskUs, Inc. to Contact Law Firm

TaskUs, Inc. to Announce Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Financial Results on February 26, 2025

Grabar Law Office Is Investigating Claims on Behalf of Long-Term Shareholders of Driven Brands Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRVN); Extreme Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXTR); MGP Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGPI); and TaskUs, Inc. (NASDAQ: TASK)

TaskUs Announces Fiscal Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results

TaskUs Launches Agentic AI Consulting Practice to Lead Businesses through the AI Era

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