Option chain shows key data for Web Travel Group's stock options at various strike prices and expiration dates. Traders use this information to analyze potential trades and assess market sentiment for Web Travel Group.

Web Travel Group (OTC:WEBJF) Stock, Option Chain

Web Travel Group provides online accommodation bookings across Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as Americas. The group operates in the business to business, or B2B, segment. The B2B business, WebBeds, acts as an intermediary between hotels and wholesale/retail travel service providers. WebBeds is currently the world's second biggest B2B accommodation booking provider despite only a 4% market share of the fragmented AUD 70 billion global B2B accommodation market.

WEB TRAVEL GROUP LTD by WEB TRAVEL GROUP LTD

Web Travel Group Ltd

Bill Ackman, CEO Of Pershing Square Capital Management, shared his views on how the Department of Government Efficiency can effectively influence policy decisions, using the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42566558/house-republicans-reject-spending-bill-under-pressure-from-trump-musk-government-faces-shutdown">recently scuttled spending bill</a> as an example.
What Happened: On Wednesday, Ackman outlined a three-step strategy for DOGE to make an impact. In a post on X, the billionaire used the recent events surrounding the spending bill as a case study for how DOGE can progress rapidly.
Ackman outlined a three-step process that led to the bill&#8217;s apparent defeat. According to him, the sequence began with DOGE co-head Vivek Ramaswamy&#8217;s analysis of the bill on X, followed by public criticism from users including his fellow DOGE leader Elon Musk who highlighted what they considered wasteful spending. The final step, Ackman suggested, was Congress members&#8217; reluctance to support the legislation amid concerns about primary challenges and public backlash over what he characterized as &#8220;pork and other waste.&#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">People have expressed skepticism about how <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DOGE</a> can be effective without any formal authority. I think today's events around the spending bill provide a road map for rapid DOGE progress. There are three steps to successful DOGE execution: Step 1 Transparency<a href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VivekGRamaswamy</a>… <a href="https://t.co/cXc1kaxZjZ">https://t.co/cXc1kaxZjZ</a>
&mdash; Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/1869524556060275166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
The post came in the wake of a rejected spending bill that had been under scrutiny for its content. The bill, which was opposed by a significant number of House GOP members, including President-elect Donald Trump, failed to secure the necessary support to pass.
Ackman&#8217;s post was in reaction to a post by Ramaswamy who dished out &#8220;real-time&#8221; advice to Congress and urged it to go &#8220;back to the drawing board&#8221; on the bill. He said that there was still &#8220;time for forgiveness.&#8221;
Musk too highlighted the role of X users in the abandoning of the spending bill. He said, &#8220;This was a good day for America.&#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 voice of the people was heard. This was a good day for America. <a href="https://t.co/r8K4AcbDYf">https://t.co/r8K4AcbDYf</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869521075761234338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42497173/investment-guru-peter-lynch-if-you-cant-explain-to-an-11-year-old-in-2-minutes-or-less-why-you-own-the-stock-you-shouldnt-own-it?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Investment Guru Peter Lynch: &#8216;If You Can&#8217;t Explain To An 11-Year-Old In 2 Minutes Or Less Why You Own The Stock, You Shouldn&#8217;t Own It&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The spending bill&#8217;s rejection marked a significant moment in U.S. politics. The bill, which aimed to extend federal funding until March 14 and avert a government shutdown, was met with opposition.
Earlier, Congressional leaders had reached a consensus on a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42544562/congressional-leaders-reach-bipartisan-deal-to-avert-government-shutdown">bipartisan deal</a> to extend government funding, thereby averting the looming December 20 shutdown deadline. The agreement, which included a one-year farm bill extension and approximately $100 billion in disaster relief, marked the end of weeks of negotiations over disaster aid and overall funding.
Last month, Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41927289/trump-appoints-elon-musk-and-vivek-ramaswamy-to-lead-doge-targeting-bureaucracy-and-65-trillion-federal-spending-we-will-not-go-gently">appointed Musk and Ramaswamy</a> to lead DOGE, which is aimed at cutting bureaucracy, waste, and federal spending by 2026. Musk and Ramaswamy have pledged bold reforms.
Democrats have criticized the abandoning of the bill. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said that Republicans are hurting the working class Americans they claim to support by ordering a &#8220;shut down&#8221; of the government. He said, &#8220;You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.&#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">House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government. And hurt the working class Americans they claim to support. You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.
&mdash; Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJeffries/status/1869493488460669104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Bill Ackman. Photo by Center for Jewish History, NYC via Wikimedia Commons
Did You Know?
<ul>
<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</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>

Government

News

Politics

General

Bill Ackman Says Events Around The Scuttled Spending Bill Provide A Road Map For 'Rapid DOGE Progress'

FedEx Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FDX#NYSE">FDX</a>) is set to report its fiscal second-quarter results on Thursday after the closing bell and analysts are expecting a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42496990/trump-eyes-privatization-of-postal-service-amid-9-5-billion-loss"> decline in earnings.</a> 
What To Know: FedEx reported disappointing first-quarter results in September with adjusted earnings nearly 25% below consensus estimates. The company cited a mix-shift that trended toward higher volumes of less profitable freight and weakness in its industrial and manufacturing customers.&nbsp;
"The soft industrial economy is clearly weighing on the [business-to-business] volumes. And it was definitely much weaker than we expected," FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam said on the company's most recent earnings call.&nbsp;
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42559347/trump-administration-could-ban-amazons-top-selling-routers-linked-to-chinese-cyberattacks-report">Trump Administration Could Ban Amazon&#8217;s Top-Selling Routers Linked To Chinese Cyberattacks: Report</a>
FedEx is often seen as a bellwether for the economy because shipping volumes correlate with both industrial and consumer demand.&nbsp;
Investors will be looking at the performance of FedEx&#8217;s Express unit which could be affected by demand-induced volume weakness and listening for more information on the potential spinoff of its Freight business.&nbsp;
Investors will be looking for updates on FedEx&#8217;s DRIVE cost-cutting program, which aims to achieve $4 billion in savings by fiscal 2025.&nbsp;
What Else: President-elect Donald Trump suggested <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42545204/marjorie-taylor-greene-pushes-to-sell-off-usps-amid-doge-momentum-we-need-to-privatize-ive-been-saying-it-for-years">the possibility </a>of privatizing the U.S. Postal Service, which could benefit FedEx and other private parcel carriers like United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPS#NYSE">UPS</a>). 
"There is talk about the Postal Service being taken private, you do know that — not the worst idea I've ever heard," Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Monday. "It's a lot different today between Amazon and UPS and FedEx, and all the things you didn't have."
Expert Ideas: Last week, Bernstein analyst David Vernon <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/FDX/analyst-ratings">downgraded</a> FedEx from Outperform to Market Perform and lowered the price target from $337 to $316 ahead of its second-quarter report.&nbsp;
Citi analysts wrote Friday that the coming earnings report &#8220;could be one of the most consequential quarters in years&#8221; for FedEx, per Investopedia.&nbsp;
FedEx will report its second-quarter financial results after Thursday's closing bell and will host a conference call to discuss the results at 5:30 p.m. ET the same day. According to estimates from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>, analysts expect the company to report earnings of $3.91 per share on quarterly revenue of $22.12 billion.&nbsp;
FDX Price Action: According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>, FedEx shares ended Wednesday's session down 1.54% at $273.16.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42515463/nike-needs-a-turnaround-after-q2-results-are-released-this-week-will-new-ceo-just-do-it">Nike Needs A Turnaround After Q2 Results Are Released This Week: Will New CEO &#8216;Just Do It?&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Earnings

Previews

Trading Ideas

FedEx Braces For Q2 Earnings: 'One Of The Most Consequential Quarters In Years,' Analyst Says

Super Micro Computer Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) shares fell 4.64% to $32.23 Wednesday following the Federal Reserve's December meeting.
Growth-focused companies like SMCI are particularly sensitive to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42563299/feds-powell-shocks-markets-its-a-new-phase-were-significantly-closer-to-neutral">interest rate changes</a>, as higher borrowing costs can dampen investment in technology infrastructure.
What To Know: The Fed lowered the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 4.25%-4.5%, marking its third consecutive cut. However, the updated economic projections signaled a slower pace of rate reductions in 2025, with only two additional cuts expected. The Fed also raised its inflation forecast, projecting core PCE inflation at 2.5% in 2025, up from 2.2% in September.
The prospect of sustained higher rates adds pressure on companies like SMCI, with customers who often rely on favorable financing conditions for large-scale IT projects. Additionally, higher inflation could squeeze margins as operating costs rise.
The broader tech sector also faced selling pressure, amplifying SMCI's decline. The company's performance remains tied to macroeconomic trends, with investors reassessing growth prospects amid a slower-than-expected path to monetary easing.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42564807/powell-triggers-market-carnage-vix-spikes-58-stocks-plummet-dollar-hits-2-year-highs-bitcoin-nosedives">Powell Triggers Market Carnage: VIX Spikes 58%, Stocks Plummet, Dollar Hits 2-Year Highs, Bitcoin Nosedives</a>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">How To Buy SMCI Stock</h1>
By now you're likely curious about how to participate in the market for Super Micro Computer — be it to purchase shares, or even attempt to bet against the company.
Buying shares is typically done through a brokerage account. You can find a list of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-stock-trading-platforms">possible trading platforms here.</a> Many will allow you to buy &#8220;fractional shares,&#8221; which allows you to own portions of stock without buying an entire share. For example, some stock, like Berkshire Hathaway, can cost thousands of dollars to own just one share. However, if you only want to invest a fraction of that, brokerages will allow you to do so.
In the the case of Super Micro Computer, which is trading at $32.23 as of publishing time, $100 would buy you 3.1 shares of stock.
If you're looking to bet against a company, the process is more complex. You'll need access to an options trading platform, or a broker who will allow you to &#8220;go short&#8221; a share of stock by lending you the shares to sell. The process of shorting a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock">stock can be found at this resource.</a> Otherwise, if your broker allows you to trade options, you can either buy a put option, or sell a call option at a strike price above where shares are currently trading — either way it allows you to profit off of the share price decline.
According to data from&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>, SMCI has a 52-week high of $122.90 and a 52-week low of $17.25.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42561549/fed-slashes-interest-rates-by-0-25-as-predicted-december-dot-plot-flags-only-2-potential-cuts-in-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fed Slashes Interest Rates By 0.25% As Predicted: December Dot Plot Flags Only 2 Potential Cuts In 2025</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: CryptoFX via Shutterstock

Movers

Tech

SMCI

What's Going On With Super Micro Computer (SMCI) Stock?

The ProShares UltraPro QQQ (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TQQQ#NASDAQ">TQQQ</a>), which provides triple-leveraged exposure to the Nasdaq-100 Index, fell some 10.81% to $82.09 Wednesday after the Federal Reserve's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42561549/fed-slashes-interest-rates-by-0-25-as-predicted-december-dot-plot-flags-only-2-potential-cuts-in-2025">December meeting</a>.
What To Know: The ETF is sensitive to bullish sentiment in tech stocks, which struggled amid concerns over the Fed's cautious outlook on monetary easing.
While the Fed reduced the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 4.25%-4.5%, projections for only two additional rate cuts in 2025 dampened investor enthusiasm.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42564807/powell-triggers-market-carnage-vix-spikes-58-stocks-plummet-dollar-hits-2-year-highs-bitcoin-nosedives">Powell Triggers Market Carnage: VIX Spikes 58%, Stocks Plummet, Dollar Hits 2-Year Highs, Bitcoin Nosedives</a>
Higher inflation expectations for 2025, with core PCE inflation now forecast at 2.5%, further weighed on growth stocks.
Tech-heavy indices, which benefit from lower borrowing costs, faced headwinds as the Fed signaled a slower pace of rate reductions than markets had previously anticipated. Wednesday&#8217;s decline could reflect renewed uncertainty about the growth sector's ability to thrive in a persistently higher-rate environment.
According to data from&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>, TQQQ has a 52-week high of $93.79 and a 52-week low of $45.47.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42561549/fed-slashes-interest-rates-by-0-25-as-predicted-december-dot-plot-flags-only-2-potential-cuts-in-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fed Slashes Interest Rates By 0.25% As Predicted: December Dot Plot Flags Only 2 Potential Cuts In 2025</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Golden Dayz via Shutterstock

Sector ETFs

Federal Reserve

ETFs

TQQQ

Why Nasdaq-100 Leveraged ETF TQQQ Is Falling

Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 42.82% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 55.6%. Currently, Riot Platforms has a market capitalization of $4.21 billion. 
Buying $100 In RIOT: If an investor had bought $100 of RIOT stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $898.50 today based on a price of $12.23 for RIOT at the time of writing.
<h3>Riot Platforms's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734565508_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.

RIOT

If You Invested $100 In This Stock 5 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today

Editor&#8217;s note: This story has been corrected to state that MicroStrategy&#8217;s dollar cost average price for Bitcoin is below, not above, the current price of the cryptocurrency. 
With Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) prices peaking to all-time high levels, MicroStrategy's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) aggressive Bitcoin accumulation strategy has once again become a focal point in discussions among <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42503221/microstrategy-shares-surge-nearly-7-amid-nasdaq-100-inclusion-and-bitcoins-new-record-high">traders and analysts</a>.
What Happened: In a tweet on Monday, industry expert Alex Kolicich addressed common misconceptions about MSTR in a recent tweet, explaining that the stock is neither a leveraged nor a synthetic call option on Bitcoin. 
Instead, Kolicich pointed out several structural inefficiencies:
<ul>
<li>MSTR trades at a 140% premium to its Bitcoin holdings&#8217; net asset value (NAV).</li>
<li>Each $1 invested in MSTR stock provides only $0.45 of Bitcoin exposure, far less than direct Bitcoin ownership.</li>
</ul>
Kolicich further <a href="https://x.com/AlexKolicich/status/1868705490387321177">elaborated</a> that MicroStrategy is not leveraged but instead deleveraged, offering reduced Bitcoin exposure compared to direct investments. 
He highlighted alternatives like BITX, which provide 2x leverage without a NAV premium.
Additionally, while traditional call options on assets typically offer leveraged upside due to their long volatility exposure, MSTR's convertible bonds effectively short volatility, diluting shareholder returns as Bitcoin prices rise.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42509614/microstrategy-expands-bitcoin-holdings-by-15350-btc-worth-15-billion-after-joining-nasdaq-100">MicroStrategy Expands Bitcoin Holdings By 15,350 BTC Worth $1.5 Billion After Joining Nasdaq 100</a>
Why It Matters: Crypto trader TheFlowHorse on Dec. 17 in a post on X emphasized the implications of Saylor&#8217;s aggressive Bitcoin purchases, noting that these acquisitions have significantly raised MicroStrategy's DCA to $61,000. 
This figure is approximately 40% lower than Bitcoin's current price, introducing potential risks if prices fall significantly. 
<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">Take a look at Saylor&#39;s recent Bitcoin buys. The buys up here are so large that he has increased his dollar cost average price by nearly 50%, to 61k. That level is around 40% away. We haven&#39;t had a pullback of that magnitude for years, but at some point you have to wonder if in… <a href="https://t.co/erhdvrErn2">pic.twitter.com/erhdvrErn2</a>
&mdash; HORSE (@TheFlowHorse) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheFlowHorse/status/1868763016642052542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Analysts warn that while Bitcoin&#8217;s pullbacks have historically been rare, Saylor's strategy could leave MSTR exposed to potential downside risk, especially with its C-Corp structure subject to double taxation, unlike <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42275232/leveraged-microstrategy-etfs-are-playing-with-fire-experts-warn">more efficient ETFs</a>.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42522606/trump-is-serious-about-creating-a-bitcoin-reserve-says-microstrategys-michael-saylorurges-to-buy-btc-before-it-goes-up-by-100x">Trump Serious About Bitcoin Reserve, Says MicroStrategy&#8217;s Michael Saylor: &#8216;Buy It Now And Own The Future&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

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

Cryptocurrency

$BTC

MSTR

MicroStrategy's Aggressive Bitcoin Strategy Raises Eyebrows In Crypto Community (CORRECTED)

D.R. Horton (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DHI#NYSE">DHI</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 8.87% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 21.66%. Currently, D.R. Horton has a market capitalization of $43.76 billion. 
Buying $100 In DHI: If an investor had bought $100 of DHI stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $268.50 today based on a price of $136.25 for DHI at the time of writing.
<h3>D.R. Horton's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734564608_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.

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning D.R. Horton Stock In The Last 5 Years

Offerings

NUKK

Nukkleus Announces Strategic $10M Private Placement Priced Above-The-Market Under Nasdaq Rules

On Wednesday, House Republicans rejected Speaker Mike Johnson's proposed spending bill that would have extended federal funding until March 14 and averted a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42544562/congressional-leaders-reach-bipartisan-deal-to-avert-government-shutdown"> government shutdown. </a>&nbsp;
The Details: President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk joined a large portion of House GOP members in opposing the compromise bill which included numerous Democratic policy priorities.&nbsp;
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42559347/trump-administration-could-ban-amazons-top-selling-routers-linked-to-chinese-cyberattacks-report">Trump Administration Could Ban Amazon&#8217;s Top-Selling Routers Linked To Chinese Cyberattacks: Report</a>
Some of the Republican-contested late additions from Democrats included a pay raise for members of Congress, new regulations for health plan administrators and federal funds to rebuild the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. The provisions were added after Johnson opened the door with a last-minute addition of&nbsp; $10 billion in aid for farmers.&nbsp;
Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance blasted the proposed spending bill on Wednesday afternoon in a statement posted on social media.&nbsp;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">A statement from President Donald J. Trump and Vice President-Elect JD Vance: The most foolish and inept thing ever done by Congressional Republicans was allowing our country to hit the debt ceiling in 2025. It was a mistake and is now something that must be addressed.…
&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1869495076604227726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Musk actively criticized the bill on his social media platform X throughout the day on Wednesday. He also posted victoriously on the platform after the bill was rejected.&nbsp;
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<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Your elected representatives have heard you and now the terrible bill is dead. The voice of the people has triumphed! VOX POPULI VOX DEI
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869487359420727338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
What's Next: Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, has not outlined a backup plan and the next step remains unclear, according to sources familiar with the discussions,<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/12/18/government-shutdown-house-vote-cr/"> per</a> the Washington Post. Most federal operations would shut down at 12:01 a.m. Saturday if Congress does not pass a bill to extend the deadline.  
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42564443/santa-came-early-with-rate-cut-but-federal-reserve-brings-coal-next-year-experts-weigh-in-on-rate-cut-feds-2025-projections">&#8216;Santa Came Early&#8217; But Fed Brings &#8216;Coal Next Year&#8217;: Experts Weigh In On Interest Rate Cut, 2025 Projections</a></li>
</ul>
This image was generated using artificial intelligence via Dall-E 3.

Social Media

Legal

House Republicans Reject Spending Bill Under Pressure From Trump, Musk: Government Faces Shutdown

Arista Networks (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANET#NYSE">ANET</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 27.96% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 38.9%. Currently, Arista Networks has a market capitalization of $136.68 billion. 
Buying $1000 In ANET: If an investor had bought $1000 of ANET stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $26,491.80 today based on a price of $108.50 for ANET at the time of writing.
<h3>Arista Networks's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734563707_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.

ANET

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning Arista Networks Stock In The Last 10 Years

Entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban has been an outspoken critic of Elon Musk and the X social media platform. In a recent interview, Cuban shares what sets Bluesky apart from X and why he's spending<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42421291/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-aoc-hits-1-million-followers-with-top-bluesky-account-mark-cuban-gains-popularity-jack-dorsey-notably-absent"> more time there.</a>
Why Cuban Loves Bluesky: Alternate platforms to X, formerly known as Twitter, such as Bluesky and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)-owned Threads have <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42305424/threads-takes-on-x-bluesky-with-new-search-options-making-it-easier-for-you">seen a rise</a> in user growth after the 2024 presidential election.
Cuban is spending more time on Bluesky where his 775,000 plus <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mcuban.bsky.social">followers </a>make him one of the most followed accounts. Cuban has 8.8 million <a href="https://x.com/mcuban/">followers </a>on X for comparison.
During a recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEK2063FPLw">interview </a>with Jules Terpak, Cuban discussed the current climate of social media and said that all the platforms are algorithmically driven except for one, naming Bluesky as the outlier.
"There's no algorithm," Cuban said.
Cuban highlighted several features of Bluesky during the interview including the limited number of bots, an "old school" chronological order and the ability to make your own lists with the open-source code.
When it comes to what sets Bluesky apart from X, Cuban highlighted one item as the "holy grail." "You truly own your threads."
Cuban said Bluesky users have complete control over the threads on their posts, including the quote replies. "There's a hide for everyone and there's a block that really works."
The entrepreneur said he saw a high volume of people come over from X to Bluesky to troll him during the 2024 election sharing memes and what he referenced as the "Rachel Maddow" pictures, which compare the TV host and investor's resemblance. Cuban said he could block people and hide the replies on posts from trolls for everyone.
Cuban says he sees a lower volume of trolls on Bluesky versus X, where he can't even engage with anyone anymore due to the trolls. The investor recently counted 246 replies on a post on Bluesky and only five were from trolls.
On Bluesky, Cuban is having engaging conversations with people and making fun posts for the first time in years on topics he enjoys talking with others about.
"People have lost the connection to just have normal engagement."
Cuban said his followers on Bluesky are far more engaging than on Twitter, referencing a Bluesky post that recently got 110,000 likes.
"The engagement is insane. You can have a social friendly, intellectual conversation on Bluesky."
You may not be a billionaire like Mark Cuban, but you can uncover hidden gems in the stock market using our proprietary data and pattern recognition — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42490690/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet">check out five stocks flying under the radar that deserve your attention.</a>
TikTok Ban: During the interview, Cuban and Terpak also discussed the pending ban of TikTok in the U.S. unless the company's U.S. division is sold off.
Cuban said he loved the old TikTok and referenced being on the musical.ly platform, which went on to become TikTok, saying he tried to invest in that precursor company.
TikTok changed the world with quick videos, dance and attention grabbing content, but a push to make money made the platform feel more corporate, Cuban added.
To fight off a potential ban, TikTok brought in Cuban for a meeting to share suggestions on how to get around the troubles, he told Terpak. Cuban said he suggested to the company to have an output in the form of a url for the feed of videos watched by anyone 16 and under.
This would make it to where parents would be able to go back and see the list and watch videos their children had watched at any given time. Cuban said this would be good for parents and a governmental perspective to make sure there wasn't propaganda forced on people.
Cuban was asked what the biggest takeaway from TikTok is if the platform is banned.
"The biggest learning is he who controls the algorithm wins."
Cuban said TikTok was an early winner of using an algorithm to put content that people would like in front of them based on what they were watching and were liking.
While there is a potential ban date of Jan. 19 for TikTok in the U.S., which is the day before President Donald Trump's inauguration, Cuban is skeptical this will be the last day anyone sees TikTok videos.
"TikTok will sue and won't get closed on the 19th, that I'm confident of."
Cuban also referenced one of Trump's friends having a stake in the company, which is likely in reference to investor Jeff Yass, who is a Republican megadonor, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/03/37722366/why-did-donald-trump-change-his-mind-about-tiktok-follow-the-money-says-rep-nancy-pelosi">owning a 15% stake</a> in TikTok parent ByteDance.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/09/40741507/mark-cuban-shares-advice-he-would-give-to-his-younger-self-i-wish-someone-told-me">Mark Cuban Shares Advice He Would Give To His Younger Self, &#8216;I Wish Someone Told Me…&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

Mark Cuban Says This Is The 'Holy Grail' That Makes Bluesky Better Than Musk's X Platform

BJ's Wholesale Club (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BJ#NYSE">BJ</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 20.47% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 33.25%. Currently, BJ's Wholesale Club has a market capitalization of $12.46 billion. 
Buying $1000 In BJ: If an investor had bought $1000 of BJ stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $4,239.10 today based on a price of $94.32 for BJ at the time of writing.
<h3>BJ's Wholesale Club's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734562814_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.

$1000 Invested In BJ's Wholesale Club 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

AAOI

Applied Optoelectronics Plans Private Exchange Offer For 2026 Notes And Concurrent Registered Direct Offering

Domino's Pizza (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DPZ#NYSE">DPZ</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 5.31% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 16.24%. Currently, Domino's Pizza has a market capitalization of $14.87 billion. 
Buying $1000 In DPZ: If an investor had bought $1000 of DPZ stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $4,491.24 today based on a price of $430.71 for DPZ at the time of writing.
<h3>Domino's Pizza's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734561910_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.

$1000 Invested In Domino's Pizza 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

"We narrowed our full year adjusted earnings per share range and modestly lowered the midpoint given the slower than expected macroeconomic improvements and lower than expected orders in the first half of the year. Our updated guidance continues to reflect full year sales and EPS growth over fiscal 2024," the company said.

Guidance

MLKN

MillerKnoll Trims FY25 Adj EPS Outlook From Prior $2.20 To New Range Of $2.11 - $2.17, Est $2.16

United Airlines Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAL#NASDAQ">UAL</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 2.2% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 13.84%. Currently, United Airlines Holdings has a market capitalization of $30.08 billion. 
Buying $100 In UAL: If an investor had bought $100 of UAL stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $698.78 today based on a price of $91.47 for UAL at the time of writing.
<h3>United Airlines Holdings's Performance Over Last 15 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734561014_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.

$100 Invested In This Stock 15 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

BILL

BILL Holdings To Replace Lennox In S&P Midcap 400 Effective Prior To Opening Of Trading On December 23

CTLT

Lennox To Replace Catalent In S&P 500, Effective Prior To Opening Of Trading On Monday, December 23

Lennar Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LEN#NYSE">LEN</a>) shares are sinking in Wednesday&#8217;s after-hours session after the company reported worse-than-expected financial results for the fourth quarter. Here&#8217;s a look at the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/12/n42564471/lennar-reports-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-2024-results">key metrics from the quarter</a>.
<ul>
<li>Q4 Revenue: $9.95 billion, versus <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings">estimates</a> of $10.08 billion</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Q4 Adjusted EPS: $4.03, versus estimates of $4.16</li>
</ul>
Lennar said deliveries decreased 7% year-over-year to 22,206 homes. New orders in the period declined 3% to 16,895 homes, below the low end of the company&#8217;s previous guidance of 19,000 homes. The homebuilder had a backlog of 11,633 homes with an estimated value of $5.4 billion at quarter&#8217;s end.
Lennar reported homebuilding operating earnings of $1.5 billion, financial services operating earnings of $154 million and a multifamily operating loss of approximately $200,000. The company ended the quarter with homebuilding cash and cash equivalents of $4.7 billion, and total liquidity of approximately $7.6 billion.
&#8220;In the course of our&nbsp;fourth quarter, the housing market that appeared to be improving as the Fed cut short-term interest rates, proved to be far more challenging as mortgage rates rose almost 100 basis points through the quarter,&#8221; said Stuart Miller, executive chairman and co-CEO of Lennar.
&#8220;Even while demand remained strong, and the chronic supply shortage continued to drive the market, our results were driven by affordability limitations from higher interest rates.&#8221;
Lennar said it repurchased $521 million of its common stock during the quarter.
What&#8217;s Next: Lennar expects first-quarter deliveries of 17,000 to 17,500 homes. The company also guided for full-year 2025 deliveries of 86,000 to 88,000 homes. Lennar expects first-quarter gross margin to be between 19% and 19.25%, down from 22.1% in the fourth quarter.
&#8220;At this time, we will not guide to full-year gross margin until we have a better sense of market conditions as the year unfolds,&#8221; Miller said.
LEN Price Action: Lennar shares were down 7.49% after hours, trading at $135 at the time of publication Wednesday, per <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42488357/homebuilders-2025-outlook-more-cautious-less-constructive-analyst-says">Homebuilders 2025 Outlook: &#8216;More Cautious, Less Constructive,&#8217; Analyst Says</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock.

After-Hours Center

Real Estate

Lennar Stock Tumbles As Homebuilder Flags 'Far More Challenging' Housing Market Than Anticipated

Medical Properties Trust Reaches Agreement With Viceroy Research And Its Members To Mutually Settle And Dismiss Defamation Lawsuit Filed In 2023; Terms Confidential

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