La chaîne d'options affiche les données clés des options sur actions de SES AI à différents prix d'exercice et dates d'expiration. Les traders utilisent ces informations pour analyser les transactions potentielles et évaluer le sentiment du marché pour SES AI..

SES AI (NYSE:SES) Stock, Chaîne d'Options

SES AI CORP

SES AI

SES AI Corp is a developer and manufacturer of high-performance, AI-enhanced Lithium-Metal (Li-Metal) and Lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable battery technologies for electric vehicles (EVs), Urban Air Mobility (UAM), drones, robotics, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and other applications. It includes Software and Hardware products that are EV, UAM, Drone, Molecular Universe, and Avatar.

SES AI Corp

SES AI Corporation Warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share

SES Solar Inc

SUESS MicroTec SE

Sesa SpA

Macro Economic Events

News

Econ #s

Economics

U.K. Nationwide HPI (YoY) For July 2.4% Vs. 2.1% Est.; 2.1% Prior

U.K. Nationwide HPI (MoM) For July 0.6% Vs. 0.5% Est.; -0.9% (Revised) Prior

Social media platform Reddit Inc. (NYSE: RDDT) had a strong second-quarter performance, with its profitability metrics now within striking distance of mature social networking companies such as Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>).
Check out the current price of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/RDDT" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RDDT stock here</a>.
What Happened: During its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46775818/reddit-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-drives-shares-higher">second-quarter earnings</a> call on Thursday, the company reported an adjusted EBITDA of $167 million, from total revenue of $500 million, resulting in EBITDA margins of 33%. This was largely driven by rapid top-line growth, alongside tight expense controls during the quarter. 
The company&#8217;s CFO, Drew Vollero, said, &#8220;We found a sweet spot this quarter with both revenue growth and profitability,&#8221; referring to a 78% surge in revenues.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/insights/options/25/07/46693048/behind-the-scenes-of-reddits-latest-options-trends">Behind the Scenes of Reddit&#8217;s Latest Options Trends</a>
What makes Reddit's margin profile stand out is that the company is still in the early stages of its monetization efforts. As Vollero pointed out, the company&#8217;s average revenue per user (ARPU) soared 47% year-over-year to $4.53, while noting that it was &#8220;still low on an absolute basis and remains an opportunity.&#8221;
In comparison, Reddit&#8217;s top competitor in the social media space, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), with its massive scale and infrastructure, reported EBITDA margins <a href="https://investor.atmeta.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2025/Meta-Reports-Second-Quarter-2025-Results/default.aspx">of</a> 43%. 
Reddit notes that several key monetization levers, such as its self-serve ad automation, performance measurement tools, and advertiser onboarding, are still being built. &#8220;We are not yet end-to-end automated,&#8221; said COO Jen Wong, referring to plenty of untapped potential from mid-market and SMB advertisers, when it does get fully automated.
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<td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Stock</td>
<td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Year-To-Date Performance</td>
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<tr>
<td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Reddit Inc. (NYSE:&nbsp;RDDT)</td>
<td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">-3.21%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)</td>
<td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">+29.07%</td>
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Why It Matters: Reddit released its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46775818/reddit-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-drives-shares-higher">second-quarter results</a> on Thursday, reporting $499.6 million in revenue, up 78% year-over-year, and beating consensus estimates at $424 million.
The company reported a profit of 48 cents per share, once again beating analyst consensus estimates by a wide margin of 19 cents per share.
Price Action: Shares of Reddit were up 7.54% on Thursday, closing at $160.59, and are up another 17.82% after hours, following its earnings announcement.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="148" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01011318/Screenshot-2025-08-01-at-10.43.07-AM-1024x148.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1010176" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01011318/Screenshot-2025-08-01-at-10.43.07-AM-1024x148.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01011318/Screenshot-2025-08-01-at-10.43.07-AM-300x43.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01011318/Screenshot-2025-08-01-at-10.43.07-AM-768x111.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01011318/Screenshot-2025-08-01-at-10.43.07-AM.png 1518w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
According to Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings, Reddit shares score high on Momentum, and have a favorable price trend in the short, medium and long terms. How does it compare with Meta Platforms? Click <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">here</a> to find out. 
Read More: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/reddit-stock-price-prediction">Reddit Stock Price Prediction: 2025, 2026, 2030</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Ink Drop On Shutterstock

Earnings

Reddit's Closing In On Meta: EBITDA Margins Hit 33% In Early Monetization Push: Revenue Per User 'Is Still Low,' 'Remains An Opportunity'

Reddit Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RDDT#NYSE">RDDT</a>) surged 17.82% in after-hours trading on Thursday after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46775818/reddit-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-drives-shares-higher">reporting second-quarter results</a> that crushed Wall Street expectations and issued bullish third-quarter guidance.
What Happened: The social media platform <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46775818/reddit-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-drives-shares-higher">reported second-quarter revenue</a> of $499.6 million, beating consensus estimates of $424.73 million by 17.6%. Earnings per share hit 48 cents, more than doubling analyst expectations of 19 cents per share.
Total revenue climbed 78% year-over-year as daily active unique users increased 21% to 110.4 million. U.S. DAUq grew 11% while international DAUq surged 32%, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46775818/reddit-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-drives-shares-higher">according to Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Reddit generated $111 million in both operating cash flow and free cash flow during the quarter. The company ended the second quarter with $2.06 billion in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46775818/reddit-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-drives-shares-higher">cash and cash equivalents</a>.
&#8220;With 20+ years of conversations across 100,000+ communities, Reddit is the internet&#8217;s largest archive of authentic dialogue,&#8221; the company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46775818/reddit-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-drives-shares-higher">stated in its shareholder letter</a>. Management emphasized Reddit&#8217;s role as foundational infrastructure for AI and large language models.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/46782692/michael-saylor-says-strategys-current-capital-structure-bulletproof-compared-to-2022-crypto-winter-asserts-company-can-weather-80-bitcoin-crash">Michael Saylor Says Strategy&#8217;s Current Capital Structure &#8216;Bulletproof&#8217; Compared To 2022 Crypto Winter, Asserts Company Can Weather 80% Bitcoin Crash</a>
Why It Matters: For the third quarter, Reddit expects revenue <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46775818/reddit-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-drives-shares-higher">between $535 million and $545 million</a>, significantly above Wall Street&#8217;s $471.49 million estimate. The company projects adjusted EBITDA of $185 million to $195 million.
SimilarWeb data <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/06/46180058/reddit-shares-surge-as-app-downloads-spike-whats-going-on">showed download volumes jumped</a> 77.98% in April and another 47.92% in May.
Multiple analysts raised price targets ahead of earnings, with Raymond James maintaining a Strong Buy rating and $175 target. The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46763760/whats-going-on-with-reddit-shares-thursday">consensus price target</a> stands at $150.67.
Reddit&#8217;s market cap reached $29.63 billion following the after-hours surge. The stock trades at a 257.58 price-to-earnings ratio.
With momentum in the 93rd percentile, Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings show RDDT trending positively across all time frames—see <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">how it stacks up against other social media stocks</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="888" height="640" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01013556/image-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1010201" style="width:528px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01013556/image-1.png 888w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01013556/image-1-300x216.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01013556/image-1-768x554.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 888px) 100vw, 888px" /></a></figure>
Read Next: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/25/07/46710463/cathie-woods-15m-crypto-bet-sells-bitcoin-king-block-doubles-down-on-ethereum-giant-bitmine-immersion">Cathie Wood&#8217;s $15M Crypto Bet: Sells Bitcoin King Block, Doubles Down On Ethereum Giant Bitmine Immersion</a></li>
</ul>
Photo Courtesy: Ink Drop On Shutterstock
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

Markets

RDDT

Reddit Skyrockets 18% After Hours As Q3 Outlook, Earnings Beat Spark Investor Frenzy

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) delivered a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46774978/amazon-q2-earnings-highlights-double-beat-ai-progress-across-the-board-continues">strong second quarter</a> but missed expectations on cloud growth, sending shares tumbling and prompting concern from analysts over Amazon Web Services&#8217; momentum.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AWS Misses Growth Whisper, Sparks Analyst Alarm</h2>
Amazon reported second-quarter net sales of $167.7 billion, a 13% increase year-over-year and above consensus estimates of $161.9 billion.
However, AWS revenue came in at $10.2 billion, representing 17.5% growth—well below the "whisper number" of 20% that some analysts, including Deepwater Asset Management's Gene Munster, had expected.
"AWS is what's wrong," Munster said during an <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/07/31/amazon-guidance-great-aws-numbers-pulling-on-stock-says-deepwaters-gene-munster.html">appearance</a> on CNBC. "The whisper was plus 20% growth. I thought it was going to be like 22%. They did 17.5%."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46760627/magnificent-seven-microsoft-meta-nvdia-earnings-sp500-market-cap" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Magnificent Seven Now Worth Over $19 Trillion—And They Make Up 35% Of The S&amp;P 500</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gene Munster Points To Share Loss Versus Azure, Google Cloud</h2>
Munster pointed to Amazon's underperformance compared to Microsoft Corporation's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) Azure and Alphabet Inc.'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 Cloud.
"They have been losing share over the past couple of years. They lost at a greater pace in the June quarter. That's a problem," he said.
Google Cloud reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46587283/alphabet-q2-earnings-revenue-eps-beat-estimates-google-parent-raises-capex-outlook-due-to-strong-and-growing-cloud-demand">revenue of $13.62 billion</a> for the quarter, up from $10.35 billion a year ago, while Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that Azure crossed the $75 billion revenue mark <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46738585/microsoft-q4-earnings-highlights-double-beat-ceo-says-cloud-and-ai-is-the-driving-force">for the full fiscal year</a>, reflecting a 34% year-over-year growth.
While Amazon attributed the miss partly to capacity constraints, Munster wasn't fully convinced. "They would have to be really supply-constrained to justify that number," he said. "There just is still something deeper here."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AI Integration May Be Giving Microsoft The Edge</h2>
When asked whether Microsoft is simply doing a better job of integrating AI into Azure, Munster said, "Yeah, I think that they're probably just doing a better job of integrating those AI models into the overall system. That&#8217;s Azure. It&#8217;s just been a Cloud First company for Azure."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Slowing AWS Growth Clouds Margin Outlook</h2>
AWS is Amazon's profit engine, and its slowing growth has significant implications for the company's margins and future investment capacity. While Amazon's operating margins improved overall—rising from 3.5% to 11.4% in two years—Munster said that "it's all about AWS."
"I don&#8217;t know what&#8217;s wrong with it. I don&#8217;t know why it shouldn&#8217;t be growing faster, given all the goodness that&#8217;s happening in the cloud side," he said.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Amazon Offers Strong Q3 Guidance, But Investors Focus On Cloud</h2>
Amazon did offer upbeat guidance for the third quarter, with the high end of its revenue forecast implying 13% growth, ahead of Street estimates. Still, the AWS miss weighed heavily on investor sentiment.
"Management noted on the call that growth was capacity-constrained, with backlog up 25%," Munster later posted on X, formerly Twitter, "offsetting some of my initial disappointment."
<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">$$AMZN down 6.5% on AWS margin disappointment. AWS growth of 17% missed the ~20% whisper. However, management noted on the call that growth was capacity-constrained, with backlog up 25% offsetting some of my initial disappointment. <a href="https://t.co/KnPXgAofjq">https://t.co/KnPXgAofjq</a>
&mdash; Gene Munster (@munster_gene) <a href="https://twitter.com/munster_gene/status/1951075732928495908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Price Action: Amazon shares fell 6.63% to $228.55 in after-hours trading, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Despite the drop, Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that AMZN maintains strong upward momentum across short, medium and long-term timeframes. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'">Additional performance data is available here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01011706/Screenshot-2025-08-01-at-10.46.50%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1010180" /></a></figure>
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45396297/cathie-wood-dumps-palantir-as-stock-touches-peak-prices-bails-on-soaring-flying-taxi-maker-archer-aviation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cathie Wood Dumps Palantir As Stock Touches Peak Prices, Bails On Soaring Flying-Taxi Maker Archer Aviation</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo by Deep Pixel via Shutterstock

Tech

AMZN

GOOG

GOOGL

MSFT

Amazon Stock Tanks As AWS Misses Whisper Number: 'I Don't Know What's Wrong With It,' Says Gene Munster

Reported Earlier, Australia Producer Price Index (YoY) For Q2 3.4% Vs. 3.7% Prior

Strategy Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) CEO Michael Saylor expressed confidence in his company&#8217;s Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) buying approach Thursday, asserting that it could endure an 80% drawdown and remain resilient even in a bear market.
What Happened:&nbsp;During the company&#8217;s second-quarter earnings call, Saylor was asked about the company&#8217;s ability to weather Bitcoin bear markets and the potential impact on its capital structure.
&#8220;I think that our structure is smooth, and we wouldn't miss a single dividend payment on an 80% drawdown,&#8221; Saylor responded. &#8220;On a 90% to 95% drawdown, in theory, you might suspend something for a little bit of time.&#8221;
Saylor cited the company&#8217;s pivot to a &#8220;robust antifragile&#8221; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-buy-preferred-stock#:~:text=Preferred%20stock%20carries%20less%20risk,flow%20of%20the%20general%20market.">perpetual preferred stock strategy</a>, which has no maturity date and retains the initial capital invested.
He pointed out that the company had previously survived an 80% Bitcoin pullback during the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/09/40786633/crypto-winter-of-2022-dealt-a-death-blow-to-bitcoin-and-other-coins-fed-report-indicates-a">2022 cryptocurrency winter </a>with a weaker capital structure, dominated by convertible debt, and that the current structure is &#8220;bulletproof&#8221; in comparison.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46745730/peter-schiff-says-bitcoin-is-like-tech-stocks-but-without-potential-of-earnings-as-investor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peter Schiff Says Bitcoin Is Like Tech Stocks But Without &#8216;Potential Of Earnings&#8217; As Investors Digest Meta, Microsoft Numbers</a>
Why It Matters: Strategy has spearheaded Bitcoin's corporate adoption,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/06/45837005/strategy-buys-another-110-million-in-bitcoin-now-holds-582000-btc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">building its reserve</a>&nbsp;with proceeds from common stock, preferred stock, and convertible bond issuances. 
The approach monetizes the volatility of the company&#8217;s shares. When Strategy&#8217;s stock trades at a premium to the value of its Bitcoin holdings, the company issues new shares and uses the proceeds to purchase more BTC.
In July, it completed a $2.52 billion initial public offering of its STRC preferred stock and used the proceeds to purchase 21,021 BTC. The firm held a stash of more than 628,791 BTC, worth over $72 billion as of this writing,&nbsp;<a href="https://bitcointreasuries.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according&nbsp;</a>to&nbsp;bitcointreasuries.net
However, the approach has faced criticism, with veteran short seller Jim Chanos<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/06/45877499/michael-saylor-says-jim-chanos-doesnt-understand-strategys-model-criticizes-long-bitcoin-short-mstr-trade-short-seller-hits-back-with-financial-gibberish-remark"> suggesting that the stock's premium over Bitcoin's value</a> is not justified. Chanos has adopted an arbitrage trade that involves shorting Strategy's stock while buying Bitcoin.
Strategy <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46775486/microstrategy-beats-q2-earnings-as-revenue-rises-bitcoin-yield-climbs-to-19-7">reported its second-quarter financials</a> after Thursday&#8217;s market close, with revenue exceeding analysts&#8217; expectations. The company reported a Bitcoin gain of 88,109 in the quarter, bringing its Bitcoin gain up to 111,894 year-to-date
Price Action:&nbsp; At the time of writing, BTC was exchanging hands at $115,577.50, down 2.48% in the last 24 hours, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;
Shares of MSTR dipped 1.41% in after-hours trading after closing 1.73% higher at $401.86&nbsp; during Thursday&#8217;s regular trading session. 
MSTR demonstrated a very high momentum score—a measure of the stock&#8217;s relative strength based on its price movement patterns and volatility over multiple timeframes—as of this writing. To find out how MSTR compares against other cryptocurrency-related stocks, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="428" height="197" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01003940/image.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1010133" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01003940/image.png 428w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01003940/image-300x138.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 428px) 100vw, 428px" /></a></figure>
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46774943/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-struggle-as-post-fomc-blues-hits-markets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Struggle As Post-FOMC Blues Hits Markets &#8211; Benzinga</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: PJ McDonnell / Shutterstock.com

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

Cryptocurrency

Short Sellers

$BTC

MSTR

Michael Saylor Says Strategy's Current Capital Structure 'Bulletproof' Compared To 2022 Crypto Winter, Asserts Company Can Weather 80% Bitcoin Crash

Reported Earlier, Australia Producer Price Index (QoQ) For Q2 0.7% Vs. 0.9% Est.; 0.9% Prior

Reported Earlier, China Caixin Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index For July 49.5 Vs. 50.2 Est.; 50.4 Prior

Personal finance expert Dave Ramsey didn't hold back in a social media post, calling out Americans for mismanaging their income and staying trapped in a cycle of debt.
What Happened: This week, Ramsey shared a video on X, while blasting the mindset that blames low income for financial hardship. Instead, he pointed the finger at debt-fueled lifestyles.
"You're not broke because you don't make enough," Ramsey wrote. "You're broke because you give your income to everyone else."
In the video, he criticized the use of credit cards, car loans, and student debt. "Credit cards stupid. Student loans stupid. Car payments stupid on steroids," he said. "Borrowing money on your house to put granite countertops in? Somebody ought to smack you."
"Think, think, think, seriously," he said, urging people to pause and reexamine their financial decisions. "We're fat and we're broke because we have no ability to do critical thought."
He urged viewers to take control by making a zero-based budget, paying cash for purchases, and using the debt snowball method to eliminate what they owe.
"Your income is your #1 wealth-building tool," he said on X, &#8220;If you keep it, budget it, and invest it, you can break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and finally get ahead. No more excuses.&#8221; 
See Also: <a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46745168/trump-leaves-good-friend-india-in-the-cold-strikes-trade-deal-with-arch-rival-pakis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Leaves &#8216;Good Friend&#8217; India In The Cold, Strikes Trade Deal With Arch Rival Pakistan Over &#8216;Massive Oil Reserves&#8217;</a>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">You're not broke because you don't make enough. You're broke because you give your income to everyone else. Credit cards, car payments, student loans&#8230; every payment is money that you could be using to build wealth for yourself instead of making everyone else rich. Here's how… <a href="https://t.co/KvfVZ6e36u">pic.twitter.com/KvfVZ6e36u</a>
&mdash; Dave Ramsey (@DaveRamsey) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaveRamsey/status/1950218151053971858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Why It Matters: Ramsey has been a vocal critic of debt and financial struggles in the U.S. In a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/12/42746966/debt-and-broke-are-the-norm-says-dave-ramsey-explains-why-normal-isnt-working-for-most-americans-and-how-to-take-control-of-your-money">previous interview</a>, he highlighted the detrimental impact of debt on financial potential and proposed a step-by-step plan to achieve financial peace.
In April, A 49-year-old caller told Ramsey he still owed $20,000 in student loans after 19 years of payments. Ramsey advised him to skip forgiveness programs and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/04/44914129/after-19-years-of-payments-a-man-asks-dave-ramsey-about-his-student-loan-forgiveness-at-90k-a-year-ramsey-doesnt-go-easy-on-him">pay it off in one year</a> by drastically cutting expenses.
Earlier this month, a 24-year-old remodeling business owner admitted to Ramsey that he's $260,000 in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/management/25/07/46382350/24-year-old-used-client-deposits-to-pay-off-debt-now-hes-260k-down-and-dave-ramsey-warns-theyre-going-to-go-ballistic">debt after misusing client deposits</a> to cover payroll and past losses. With unpaid vendors looming and angry clients inevitable. Ramsey urged him to focus on fast-paying, small projects to dig out of the financial mess.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: T. Schneider / Shutterstock.com

Personal Finance

Dave Ramsey's 3-Step Escape Plan From The Paycheck-To-Paycheck Trap: 'You're Not Broke Because You Don't Make Enough...'

Rent and light-bill history could soon help millions secure a mortgage. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has told Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac they may now accept VantageScore 4.0, a credit model that counts on-time rent and utility payments, alongside the long-dominant FICO score.
What Happened: Unlike classic FICO, which ignores recurring housing and phone bills, VantageScore 4.0 pulls data from rent, utilities and telecom accounts, <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/can-your-rent-payments-get-you-a-mortgage-changes-to-credit-review-may-still-be-years-off-11782272">according</a> to Investopedia. The shift, its creators say, could open the market to roughly five million first-time buyers.
The model was validated alongside FICO 10T in 2022, but the FHFA left most of the heavy lifting, including new software, investor analytics and securitization standards, to lenders and the two government-sponsored enterprises.
Adoption will not be overnight, lenders warn. "I don&#8217;t know how long that&#8217;s going to take, but it&#8217;s not going to be quick. It probably wouldn&#8217;t be this year," said Phil Crescenzo Jr., vice president at Nation One Mortgage Corp.
Michael McCarthy, branch manager for PRMG in Naples, Fla., agrees. "Part of being credit worthy is the ability and willingness to make a payment… this should count for something," he states.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/management/25/07/46510561/fico-to-roll-out-new-scores-to-reflect-your-buy-now-pay-later-habits-impacting-millions-of-americans-credit">FICO To Roll Out New Scores to Reflect Your &#8220;Buy Now, Pay Later&#8221; Habits, Impacting Millions of Americans&#8217; Credit</a>
Analyst Christopher Whalen, chairman of Whalen Global Advisors LLC., was blunter. "The mortgage industry and global buyers of mortgages and [mortgage-backed securities] are not likely to adopt VantageScore anytime soon," he said.
Why It Matters: Trade groups have pressed FHFA for clear pricing grids and underwriting rules before lenders flip the switch.
Fannie and Freddie say detailed guidance is coming and note lenders can keep using today's tri-merge reports while the scoring overhaul rolls out through 2025.
For now, borrowers can still ask lenders to manually document 12 months of rent to strengthen borderline files, Crescenzo said, "You don&#8217;t need Vantage to do it." If the timeline holds, VantageScore could become mandatory for new conforming loans by late 2025.
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</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock

Financing

Real Estate

Fannie, Freddie Set Stage For Mortgage Credit Overhaul With VantageScore 4.0, But Lenders Urge Caution

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) secured a major victory with the U.S. Army&#8217;s new Enterprise Agreement that establishes a comprehensive framework for the Army&#8217;s future software and data needs. The 10-year contract, valued at up to $10 billion, represents the maximum potential value rather than guaranteed obligations.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Army Consolidates 75 Contracts Into Single Enterprise Agreement</h2>
The Army consolidated 75 contracts—15 prime contracts and 60 related contracts—into this single agreement. This streamlined approach eliminates contract and reseller pass-through fees while accelerating delivery of proven commercial software to warfighters.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cost Efficiencies Drive Military Modernization</h2>
&#8220;This Enterprise Agreement represents a pivotal step in the Army&#8217;s commitment to modernizing our capabilities while being fiscally responsible,&#8221; said Leo Garciga, the Army&#8217;s Chief Information Officer. The framework establishes volume-based discounts and reduces procurement timelines.
The agreement allows flexible purchasing of goods and services as needed, delivering significant cost efficiencies across mission-critical programs. Other Department of Defense agencies can also purchase Palantir&#8217;s commercial products during the contract period.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46781721/apple-surges-after-hours-as-q3-earnings-crush-estimates-iphone-and-services-lead-growth">Apple Surges After-Hours As Q3 Earnings Crush Estimates, iPhone And Services Lead Growth</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Market Position Strengthens Amid Pentagon AI Testing</h2>
The deal comes as the Pentagon tests AI models from Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and OpenAI to reduce dependency on vendors like Palantir and Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>). These <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46681403/department-of-defense-tests-ai-models-by-microsoft-openai-to-ease-transition-from-palantir-lockheed-martin">competing models aim to extract data</a> from analytics applications, potentially threatening vendor lock-in situations.
Despite competitive pressures, Piper Sandler analyst Brent Bracelin initiated coverage on PLTR with an Overweight rating and $170 price target, calling it an &#8220;AI All-Star.&#8221; The analyst projects Palantir could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/initiation/25/07/46636083/the-secret-ai-powerhouse-winning-big-in-defense-and-beyond">achieve a $24 billion annual revenue run rate</a> by 2032.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Financial Performance and Growth Trajectory</h2>
Palantir shares closed at $158.35 on Thursday, down 0.16%, with after-hours trading at $157.40. The company is set to report its second-quarter earnings on Monday after the market closes.
The company has achieved approximately $4 billion in revenue run-rate with free cash flow margins exceeding 40%, spanning over two decades of strategic development in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/initiation/25/07/46636083/the-secret-ai-powerhouse-winning-big-in-defense-and-beyond">the defense technology sector</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46781583/trump-slaps-35-tariff-on-canadian-goods-hits-68-other-nations-with-new-trade-war-amid-fentanyl-security-china-tensions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Slaps 35% Tariff On Canadian Goods, Hits 68 Other Nations With New Trade War Amid Fentanyl, Security, China Tensions</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo by Mamun_Sheikh via Shutterstock

PLTR

Palantir Lands $10 Billion Army Deal To Unify 75 Contracts Into One AI-Powered Defense Software Framework

Gerber Kawasaki's co-founder, Ross Gerber, has slammed Tesla Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) Robotaxi operations as the company recently launched a ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Check out the current price of <a href="https://benzinga.com/quote/tsla">TSLA stock here</a>.
What Happened: Gerber took to social media platform X on Thursday to share his thoughts. The investor said it was "silly" to call the service "Tesla Robotaxi," before adding that Elon Musk's EV giant was facing some "pretty potentially damaging cases" in the courts over FSD or Full Self-Driving technology.
"Tesla should consider calling things by the right names. Not wild exaggerations," the investor said.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">It kinda seems silly to call it a tesla robotaxi. Meanwhile some pretty potentially damaging FSD cases work through the courts. Tesla should consider calling things by the right names. Not wild exaggerations.
&mdash; Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) <a href="https://twitter.com/GerberKawasaki/status/1950922545756045405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Gerber also made a separate post on X, calling out Tesla's Supervised Full Self-Driving technology. "Supervised Full Self Driving" is an oxymoron," Gerber said.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">"Supervised Full Self Driving" is an oxymoron.
&mdash; Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) <a href="https://twitter.com/GerberKawasaki/status/1950928577115083223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Why It Matters: Tesla recently announced the company was rolling out its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46747282/teslas-robotaxi-is-now-live-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-serves-a-larger-area-compared-to-waymo">ride-hailing service</a> in the San Francisco Bay Area. However, Tesla did not mention Robotaxis in the announcement.
This announcement comes at a time when Musk had laid out an ambitious target of serving over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46594297/elon-musk-aims-to-deploy-robotaxis-to-serve-half-the-us-population-by-the-end-of-2025-targets-million-optimus-units-annually-as-fast-as-its-humanly-possible">half the U.S. population</a> with Tesla Robotaxis by the end of 2025, during the company's second-quarter earnings call with investors.
Elsewhere, Morgan Stanley recently published a report where analysts predict that the autonomous driving market in the U.S. would be <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46680128/self-driving-cars-could-be-200-billion-market-by-2030-says-morgan-stanley">worth $200 billion</a> by the year 2030.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="195" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01000516/TSLA-AUG-1-2025-1024x195.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1010114" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01000516/TSLA-AUG-1-2025-1024x195.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01000516/TSLA-AUG-1-2025-300x57.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01000516/TSLA-AUG-1-2025-768x146.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01000516/TSLA-AUG-1-2025-1536x293.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01000516/TSLA-AUG-1-2025.jpg 1553w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Tesla scores well on Momentum and Quality, while offering satisfactory Growth, but poor Value. For more such insights, sign up for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a> today!
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility"> following this link.</a>
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</ul>
Photo courtesy: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com

TSLA

Ross Gerber Slams Tesla Over Robotaxi's 'Wild Exaggerations,' Calls Supervised FSD An 'Oxymoron'

Investor and television personality Kevin O&#8217;Leary, AKA &#8220;Mr. Wonderful,&#8221; came out in defense of President Donald Trump&#8217;s trade and tariff policies, framing them as a strategic response to global trade imbalances.
What Happened: Speaking on the Impact Theory podcast on Wednesday, O&#8217;Leary explained that many of America's trade partners, including Canada and the European Union, already impose consumption taxes on U.S. goods through VAT systems. 
&#8220;Most of these countries have a VAT tax, a value-added tax, which is a tax that is a consumption tax at the consumer level,&#8221; he said.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/topics/25/07/46715533/trump-tariffs-hurt-us-chocolate-makers-give-edge-to-canada-mexico-report">Trump Tariffs Hurt US Chocolate Makers, Give Edge To Canada, Mexico: Report</a>
In O'Leary's view, Trump sees this as a de facto tariff and has since responded with his own. &#8220;There's no American VAT tax. However, what Trump has done is exactly that, and he's called it something else,&#8221; referring to the new base tariffs that are set to be imposed on all countries. 
&#8220;He calls this a tariff. The Europeans and the Canadians call theirs VAT. Who cares what it's called? It's a tax.&#8221; he says.
While O&#8217;Leary acknowledges Trump&#8217;s bombastic public persona, referring to him as &#8220;a walking press conference,&#8221; he also emphasized his effectiveness in applying pressure through trade policy. &#8220;Trump can be very pragmatic at times," he says.
He also says that if tariffs are applied reciprocally and stay around the 10% range, &#8220;the economies can live with&#8221; that outcome. &#8220;Trump put his VAT tax in place. Everything's equal. Even Steven, so to speak,&#8221; he says.
Why It Matters: Earlier in the week, O&#8217;Leary said during his appearance on Fox Business that the &#8220;tariff drama&#8221; is &#8220;settling&#8221; and the markets are &#8220;calming&#8221; as Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/topics/25/07/46699454/kevin-oleary-says-the-tariff-drama-is-settling-and-the-markets-calming-because-trump-found-the-loophole">had found the loophole</a> to impose a value-added tax.
He said, &#8220;as long as the numbers are reasonable,&#8221; that is, they range from 10% to 15%, then industry will adapt. &#8220;The market wants a headline number.&#8221;
Wall Street analysts such as Goldman&#8217;s Jan Hatzius have since <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46597344/scott-bessent-once-called-tariffs-as-dog-that-didnt-bark-now-wall-street-analysts-predict-a-less-dramatic-one-time-inflation-hike-as-august-1-deadline-nears">echoed similar views</a>, saying that tariff-driven inflation was likely to be a &#8220;one-time price level shift&nbsp;akin to a&nbsp;VAT hike,&#8221; rather than a prolonged issue.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
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<iframe loading="lazy" title="You Don&#039;t Understand The Mechanisms of Trumps Economic Policy: Kevin O&#039;Leary Simplifies The Issues" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dnlSZ3SHqac?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Read More: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/07/46755543/inflation-pce-june-tariffs-trump-powell-interest-rates">Trump&#8217;s Inflation Honeymoon Is Over—And Powell&#8217;s Patience Pays Off</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Politics

Kevin O'Leary Backs Trump's Tariff Strategy: Calls It a 'Value-Added Tax,' Says He Can Be 'Very Pragmatic'

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) shares jumped 2.42% in after-hours trading on Thursday, reaching $212.59, after the iPhone maker delivered <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46776239/apple-q3-earnings-revenue-eps-smash-estimates-as-iphone-sales-jump-active-installed-base-reaches-new-highs">third-quarter results</a> that significantly exceeded Wall Street expectations.
What Happened: The Cupertino-based tech giant reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of $94 billion, beating analyst estimates of $89.04 billion by 5.6%. Earnings per share came in at $1.57, surpassing the consensus estimate of $1.42 per share, according <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?tblci=GiAShVRBa42nCBtWlx7IMC67Vo2BcWpr85L5I7snseW6sCCN1VcojO3Z1dW2jNkZMO-ISg">to Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Total revenue climbed 10% year-over-year, while EPS increased 12% compared to the same period last year. iPhone sales drove much of the growth, generating $44.58 billion versus $39.3 billion in the prior year quarter.
&#8220;Today Apple is proud to report a June quarter revenue record with double-digit growth in iPhone, Mac and Services and growth around the world, in every geographic segment,&#8221; said CEO Tim Cook during the earnings call.
Products revenue totaled $66.61 billion, up from $61.56 billion year-over-year. Services revenue reached $27.42 billion, compared to $24.21 billion in the third quarter of 2024. Mac sales contributed $8.05 billion, while iPad revenue declined to $6.58 billion from $7.16 billion last year.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46774978/amazon-q2-earnings-highlights-double-beat-ai-progress-across-the-board-continues">Amazon Q2 Earnings Highlights: Double Beat, &#8216;AI Progress Across The Board Continues&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The company&#8217;s active installed base hit new all-time highs across all products and geographic segments, driven by high customer satisfaction and loyalty rates.
Apple ended the quarter with $36.27 billion in cash and cash equivalents. The board declared a quarterly dividend of 26 cents per share, payable August 14.
During the earnings call, Cook confirmed Apple remains &#8220;very open to M&amp;A that accelerates our roadmap,&#8221; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46776239/apple-q3-earnings-revenue-eps-smash-estimates-as-iphone-sales-jump-active-installed-base-reaches-new-highs">particularly in artificial intelligence</a>. The company has acquired seven firms this year as it faces mounting pressure to compete with rivals like Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), 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>) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) in AI development.
Apple&#8217;s capital expenditures reached $3.46 billion in the third quarter, the highest since December 2022, though still modest compared to competitors&#8217; AI spending. The stock closed regular trading on Thursday at $207.57, down 0.71%.
Benzinga Edge Stock Ranking shows AAPL has strong short- and mid-term momentum, but a weak long-term trend. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">More detailed performance insights are available here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="898" height="638" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31235235/image-516.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1010096" style="width:371px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31235235/image-516.png 898w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31235235/image-516-300x213.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31235235/image-516-768x546.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 898px) 100vw, 898px" /></a></figure>
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46781583/trump-slaps-35-tariff-on-canadian-goods-hits-68-other-nations-with-new-trade-war-amid-fentanyl-security-china-tensions">Trump Slaps 35% Tariff On Canadian Goods, Hits 68 Other Nations With New Trade War Amid Fentanyl, Security, China Tensions</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.

AAPL

Apple Surges After-Hours As Q3 Earnings Crush Estimates, iPhone And Services Lead Growth

Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>)&nbsp;CEO Brian Armstrong said Thursday that the company views Visa Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>) and Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>) as partners in the growing cryptocurrency-powered payments industry, rather than competitors.
What Happened: During Coinbase&#8217;s second-quarter earnings call, Armstrong was asked if the company is planning to build an &#8220;alternative network&#8221; to the fintech behemoths, to which he replied, &#8220;Not really.&#8221;
&#8220;We actually partner with them in many ways on the cards that we put out there,&#8221; the CEO added. 
Armstrong stated that Visa and Mastercard are &#8220;very involved&#8221; in stablecoins and cryptocurrencies, building projects, some in collaboration with Coinbase and others independently. He stressed that the top&nbsp;companies will eventually adapt to this&nbsp;significant shift.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46752487/how-coinbase-and-michael-saylors-strategy-stack-up-crypto-stock-check-up-ahead-of-q2-earnings">How Coinbase And Michael Saylor&#8217;s Strategy Stack Up: Crypto Stock Check-Up Ahead Of Q2 Earnings</a>
Why It Matters: Coinbase has been actively expanding into the payments market, with a focus on&nbsp;stablecoin-based solutions. Last month, it <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/06/45921146/shopify-teams-up-with-coinbase-stripe-to-roll-out-usdc-stablecoin-payments-for-merchants">partnered with</a> Shopify Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHOP#NYSE">SHOP</a>) and Stripe to facilitate USDC (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">USDC</a>) stablecoin payments for merchants through the Layer-2 blockchain Base.
It also has a partnership with PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PYPL#NASDAQ">PYPL</a>), <a href="http://benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/04/44991653/whats-going-on-with-coinbase-and-paypal-stock-on-thursday">allowing its users greater access</a> to the latter&#8217;s&nbsp;U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin PayPal USD (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">PYUSD</a>). 
Coinbase reported a significant <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46776113/coinbase-q2-earnings-highlights-sales-eps-miss-40-slide-in-trading-volume">hit to its revenue and transaction volume in the second quarter,</a> although its derivatives trading volume reached new highs.
Price Action:&nbsp; Shares of Coinbase plunged 9.20% in after-hours trading after closing 0.07% higher at $377.76&nbsp;&nbsp;during Thursday&#8217;s regular trading session, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
As of this writing, COIN ranked high on growth, an indicator of a stock&#8217;s combined historical expansion in earnings and revenue across multiple periods.&nbsp; Find out how payment giants like Visa and Mastercard stack up against COIN using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="441" height="193" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31230634/image-515.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1010068" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31230634/image-515.png 441w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31230634/image-515-300x131.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 441px) 100vw, 441px" /></a></figure>
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46690257/forget-bitcoin-coinbases-secret-weapon-fuels-growth-for-free">Forget Bitcoin—Coinbase&#8217;s Secret Weapon Fuels Growth For Free</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.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/apis?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_campaign=article-bottom" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"></a>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

$PYUSD

$USDC

COIN

PYPL

SHOP

USDC

Coinbase Not In Competition With Visa, Mastercard In Crypto Payments Landscape: 'We Actually Partner With Them In Many Ways'

President Donald Trump has launched a sweeping new round of tariffs on 69 countries, intensifying a global trade standoff and escalating tensions over fentanyl, national security and China.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Canada Hit With 35% Tariff Over Fentanyl Dispute</h2>
Just before a major trade deadline on Friday, Trump signed an executive order imposing new U.S. import duties ranging from 10% to 41% on dozens of trading partners, reported Reuters.
One of the most severe penalties was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46747584/trump-blasts-canada-over-palestine-stance-says-it-makes-striking-a-trade-deal-with-ottawa-very-hard">aimed at Canada</a>, with tariffs on many goods rising from 25% to 35% over what Trump described as Ottawa's "failure to cooperate" on combating fentanyl flows into the U.S.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Brazil, India, Taiwan, Switzerland Among Nations Facing New Duties</h2>
Goods from Brazil will face a 50% tariff, while India, Taiwan and Switzerland are among others hit with new rates of 20% to 39%. A baseline 10% tariff will apply to all nations not listed in the annex.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46745168/trump-leaves-good-friend-india-in-the-cold-strikes-trade-deal-with-arch-rival-pakistan-over-massive-oil-reserves">Negotiations with India broke down</a> over agricultural access and Russian oil ties, with Trump threatening further penalties.
Some trading partners have failed to align "sufficiently with the United States on economic and national-security matters,&#8221; Trump said in the order.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46749812/trump-jamie-dimon-reportedly-meet-after-presidents-fed-visit-ending-years-long-rift-what-changed" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump, Jamie Dimon Reportedly Meet After President's Fed Visit, Ending Years-Long Rift: What Changed?</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mexico Secures 90-Day Reprieve After Trump-Sheinbaum Call</h2>
Mexico, in contrast, secured a 90-day reprieve from the threatened 30% tariff after a phone call between Trump and President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. "We avoided the tariff increase announced for tomorrow," Sheinbaum posted on 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">Tuvimos una muy buena llamada con el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump. Evitamos el aumento de aranceles anunciado para mañana y logramos 90 días para construir un acuerdo de largo plazo a partir del diálogo. Me acompañaron Juan Ramón de la Fuente, secretario de… <a href="https://t.co/in3W4eAICN">pic.twitter.com/in3W4eAICN</a>
&mdash; Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) <a href="https://twitter.com/Claudiashein/status/1950938276967403563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">South Korea Accepts Tariffs, China Still Has Time</h2>
Trump also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46744534/trump-pleased-with-450b-south-korea-tariff-deal-seoul-to-accept-us-cars-agriculture-economist-warns-americans-pay-the-15-tariff">announced a deal</a> with South Korea, which accepted a 15% tariff on exports and pledged $350 billion in U.S. investments.
Meanwhile, China has until Aug. 12 to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/macro-notification/25/07/46714265/trump-has-the-final-say-on-extending-us-china-truce-says-scott-bessent-after-a-refined-tariff-talks">finalize a long-term tariff deal</a> with the Trump administration, following earlier preliminary agreements made in May and June aimed at resolving the ongoing tariff standoff and preventing a halt in rare earth mineral exports.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Legal Doubts Mount Over Trump's Emergency Tariff Authority</h2>
Trump cited the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to justify declaring a national emergency tied to the expanding U.S. trade deficit, enabling him to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/05/45660322/trump-tariffs-struck-down-by-federal-court-major-blow-to-white-houses-trade-strategy-report">implement &#8220;reciprocal&#8221; tariffs</a> and address a separate fentanyl-related crisis.
However, in May, the Court of International Trade ruled that these <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45687946/second-federal-judge-blocks-trumps-emergency-tariff-powers-hours-after-us-court-of-international-trade-ruling">measures exceeded his executive powers</a>. During a hearing at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, judges expressed continued doubt about the legality of those actions.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Consumer Prices Already Climbing Amid Tariff Fallout</h2>
The tariffs could significantly raise the cost of imported goods for American consumers. Commerce Department data released on Thursday already shows price spikes for furniture, electronics and apparel.
The move also risks straining diplomatic ties with major allies and escalating ongoing legal and geopolitical battles over trade authority.
Read More:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46750358/odds-of-zero-fed-rate-cuts-in-2025-surge-to-25-after-jerome-powells-press-conference-rate-cuts-are-being-priced-out-of-markets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Odds of ‘Zero' Fed Rate Cuts In 2025 Surge To 25% After Jerome Powell's Press Conference: ‘Rate Cuts Are Being Priced-Out Of Markets'</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Trump Slaps 35% Tariff On Canadian Goods, Hits 68 Other Nations With New Trade War Amid Fentanyl, Security, China Tensions

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban blasted a Commerce Department plan under discussion to charge patent holders a percentage of their patent value, calling it "one of the dumbest ideas in the history of business."
What Happened: In a post on X reacting to a Wall Street Journal report that officials are weighing a new levy of 1% to 5% of a patent's overall value, Cuban added, "The crazy part is that fewer patents will be filed as inventors try to protect their creations from LLMs."
<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">One of the dumbest ideas in the history of business. The crazy part is that fewer patents will be filed as inventors try to protect their creations from LLMs. ExclusiveTrump Administration Weighs Charging Patent Holders New Fee to Raise Revenue &#8211; WSJf <a href="https://t.co/5UHjvDMnKs">https://t.co/5UHjvDMnKs</a>
&mdash; Mark Cuban (@mcuban) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcuban/status/1950747852034248947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
The Journal reported the idea is part of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's revenue-raising push and could either replace or supplement today's fee schedule, a shift that critics say would act like a recurring tax on intellectual property and saddle owners with unpredictable costs.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46749278/chuck-schumer-says-scott-bessent-slipped-and-told-the-truth-about-trumps-social-security-privatization-plan">Chuck Schumer Says Scott Bessent &#8216;Slipped&#8217; And &#8216;Told The Truth&#8217; About Trump&#8217;s Social Security Privatization Plan</a>
Analysts told the paper that valuing millions of active U.S. patents would be difficult and that the U.S., which traditionally charges flat fees ranging from hundreds to roughly $10,000 over a patent's life, would become an outlier among major patent systems.
Brad Watts, senior vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce&#8217;s Global Innovation Policy Center, called it a "<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46680702/trump-administration-weighs-paradigm-shift-in-patent-system-to-raise-billions-in-revenue-report">paradigm shift</a>," noting that a value-based levy would upend a 235-year-old practice in which applicants pay standardized filing, examination and maintenance fees rather than a percentage of assessed value.
Why It Matters: Legal and industry groups have already signaled pushback. Patent scholars at Patently-O warned that a 1%–5% value tax would "dramatically increase costs" and make the U.S. an international anomaly, while Bloomberg Law <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bloomberg-government-news/lutnick-backed-patent-fees-proposal-blasted-by-lawyers-chamber">reported</a> Chamber of Commerce concerns that the plan could undermine the nation's innovation ecosystem.
Cuban's criticism adds a high-profile voice to resistance that has spread across tech, life sciences and manufacturing. He has sparred publicly with Lutnick before. In May, Cuban <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45395189/mark-cuban-takes-a-jab-at-howard-lutnick-in-which-time-share-company-is-he-going-to-get-a-job-in-sales-at">mocked the secretary</a> on social media, showcasing a growing clash over how Washington funds government priorities without chilling private-sector invention.
Read Next: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46750637/chamath-palihapitiya-laid-out-a-short-case-against-meta-alphabet-in-2020-both-have-since-rallied-over-160">Chamath Palihapitiya Laid Out A Short Case Against Meta, Alphabet In 2020—Both Have Since Rallied Over 160%</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

Legal

Mark Cuban Says This Trump Administration Move Is 'One Of the Dumbest….'

Leading cryptocurrencies fell alongside stocks on Thursday as a jump in consumer prices dampened hopes of interest rate cuts. &nbsp;
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Cryptocurrency</th>
<th>Gains +/-</th>
<th>Price (Recorded at 9:40 p.m. ET)</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>-2.17%</td>
<td>$115,531.73</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-3.77%</td>
<td>$3,680.37</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-5.72%</td>
<td>$0.2084</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
What Happened: Bitcoin tumbled to an intraday low of $114,369.87, prompting a broader market decline. Ethereum sank below $3,700.
Bullish long traders were heavily hit by the slump, with over $570 million in long positions wiped out in the last 24 hours.
That said, the two cryptocurrency heavyweights recorded a profitable July. While Bitcoin rose nearly 8% in the month, Ethereum skyrocketed over 48%.
Bitcoin's open interest fell by 0.86% in the last 24 hours, while funds locked in Ethereum unsettled contracts dropped 1.83%.&nbsp;
The "greed" sentiment weakened further in the market, according to the Crypto Fear &amp; Greed Index.
Top Gainers (24 Hours)
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Cryptocurrency</th>
<th>Gains +/-</th>
<th>Price (Recorded at 9:40 p.m. ET)</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Toncoin (TON)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>+2.00%</td>
<td>$3.49</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>XDC Network (XDC)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>+1.77%</td>
<td>$0.09785</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Story (IP)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>+1.16%</td>
<td>$6.02 </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.78 trillion, contracting 2.33% in the last 24 hours.
Stocks closed lower on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 330.30 points, or 0.74%, to end at 44,130.98. The S&amp;P 500 dipped 0.37%, ending at 6,339.39. The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite lost 0.03% to finish at 21,122.45.
The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge,<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/07/46755543/inflation-pce-june-tariffs-trump-powell-interest-rates"> jumped to 2.6% year-over-year</a>, up from 2.3% in May and topping expectations of 2.5%, casting doubt on the future of rate cuts this year.
Investors have been anxious following Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46736975/powell-holds-rates-copper-crashes-after-tariff-change-trump">hawkish tone after the central bank's July policy meeting</a>.
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>
Analyst Notes: Widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader CW suggested that the retail demand for Bitcoin was on the rise.
"Transfer volumes have bottomed out and are gradually increasing. Transfer volume remains low, but growing demand from retail investors is a positive sign," the analyst said. "If they return to the market in earnest, the BTC rally will continue."
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Retail investor demand for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> is increasing. Transfer volumes have bottomed out and are gradually increasing. Transfer volume remains low, but growing demand from retail investors is a positive sign. If they return to the market in earnest, the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> rally will continue. <a href="https://t.co/R9WTnMMgxa">pic.twitter.com/R9WTnMMgxa</a>
&mdash; CW (@CW8900) <a href="https://twitter.com/CW8900/status/1950969335650120121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Another popular cryptocurrency analyst, Michaël van de Poppe, predicted that Ethereum may peak around $4,000 in the short term, followed by a brief pullback.
"Things are building up for a perfect bull market for the coming 12-24 months on altcoins," Van De Poppe stated.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Volatility dies down on <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a>, which makes it likely that we&#39;re going to be seeing a top around the $4K area in the short-term and then a short-lived correction. Things are building up for a perfect bull market for the coming 12-24 months on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Altcoins?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Altcoins</a>. <a href="https://t.co/ic0oEE3YLX">pic.twitter.com/ic0oEE3YLX</a>
&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1950855456039051428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Read Next:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46770711/sec-launches-project-crypto-heres-what-it-means-for-you">SEC Launches &#8216;Project Crypto&#8217; — Here&#8217;s What It Means For You</a></li>
</ul>
Photo Courtesy: Rido on Shutterstock

$DOGE

$ETH

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Slide As Hotter-Than-Expected Inflation Dims Rate Cut Hopes: Analyst Sees ETH Dip After $4,000 Peak

On Thursday, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) CEO Tim Cook said the company is open to considering artificial intelligence acquisitions.
During Apple's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46776239/apple-q3-earnings-revenue-eps-smash-estimates-as-iphone-sales-jump-active-installed-base-reaches-new-highs">third-quarter earnings call</a>, Citi analyst Atas Malik asked whether the company would accelerate its AI roadmap through major mergers and acquisitions.
Check out the current price of <a href="https://benzinga.com/quote/AAPL" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AAPL stock here</a>.
Cook responded that Apple has already acquired around seven companies this year and remains "very open to M&amp;A that accelerates our roadmap."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple Is Open To M&amp;A, Says Tim Cook</h2>
"We are not stuck on a certain size company," Cook said. "Although the ones that we have acquired thus far this year are small in nature… we basically ask ourselves whether a company can help us accelerate a roadmap. If they do, then we're interested."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46680504/apple-faces-18-month-deadline-to-deliver-on-ai-says-analyst" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Faces 18-Month Deadline To Deliver On AI, Says Analyst</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple's M&amp;A History Lags Behind Meta, Google</h2>
While Cook's comments reflect a willingness to act, Apple's past tells a different story. Its largest-ever acquisition <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/23/05/32613736/if-you-invested-1000-in-apple-when-it-made-its-biggest-acquisition-9-years-ago-heres-how-much-yo">remains the $3 billion</a> Beats Electronics deal in 2014.
By contrast, peers like Facebook-parent Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) acquired WhatsApp <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/exclusives/15/01/5187867/facebook-may-not-need-to-prove-whatsapp-was-worth-19-billion">for $19 billion</a>, Alphabet Inc.'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 bought Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) spent a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/10/41342256/microsoft-settles-antitrust-lawsuit-filed-by-gamers-over-activision-blizzard-acquisition">staggering $69 billion</a> on Activision Blizzard.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple Trails Rivals Like Meta, Microsoft In AI Spending</h2>
Apple also remains a relatively modest spender on capital expenditures compared to other big tech firms. In the June quarter, it reported $3.46 billion in capex—its highest since December 2022—up from $2.15 billion a year earlier. At that pace, annual spending would total around $14 billion, according <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/31/tim-cook-apple-ai-acquisitions.html?taid=688bffe49f3972000101230c&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_content=main&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">to</a> CNBC.
In comparison, Meta, Google and Microsoft have spent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46760252/meta-microsoft-and-google-are-unleashing-a-250-billion-ai-tsunami">tens of billions to dominate</a> the AI arms race. Meta alone projects up <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46745285/meta-cfo-susan-li-says-company-may-tap-external-financing-for-2026-ai-infrastructure-as-capex-heads-toward-100-billion">to $72 billion in annual</a> CapEx, while Google expects $85 billion.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple Reportedly Eyes Perplexity AI, Mistral And Others</h2>
Meanwhile, it has been reported that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46041473/apple-eyes-perplexity-ai-acquisition-while-facing-shareholder-lawsuit-over-exaggerated-ai-progress-report">Apple is evaluating</a> Perplexity AI as a possible acquisition. Apple has also reportedly looked at other smaller AI companies like Cohere, Mistral and Thinking Machines Lab.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple Beats Earnings Expectations In Q3 Revenue</h2>
Apple posted fiscal third-quarter revenue of $94 billion, surpassing expectations of $89.04 billion. The company closed the quarter with $36.27 billion in cash and cash equivalents.
Price Action: Apple shares rose 2.42% in after-hours trading, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings show that AAPL continues to display strong upward momentum in the short and medium term, though it trends downward over the long term. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'">More detailed performance insights are available here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31215702/Screenshot-2025-08-01-at-7.22.20%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1010025" /></a></figure>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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