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VEON Ltd is a provider of mobile and fixed-line connectivity as well as digital services. Currently, the company offers services to customers in the following countries: Pakistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The reportable segments currently consist of the following five segments: Pakistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan. The company provides services under the Beeline, Kyivstar, Banglalink and Jazz brands.

VEON Ltd

A lawsuit has been filed against national security leaders from the Trump administration. The suit alleges that these <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/03/44467683/donald-trump-officials-accidentally-text-war-plans-to-journalist-on-signal-exposing-secret-yemen-strike-hours-before-bombs-fell-but-president-says-he-doesnt-know-anything-about-it-youre-saying-that-they-had-what">officials used the encrypted messaging app</a> Signal to discuss military operations, potentially violating the Federal Records Act.
What Happened: The legal action was initiated by American Oversight, a watchdog organization, as <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5214036-trump-officials-face-records-lawsuit-over-signal-chat/">reported</a> by The Hill on Tuesday.
The group argues that using Signal hinders public access to government records. The Atlantic reported that the chat allegedly included national security adviser Michael Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and The Atlantic's Editor-in-Chief, Jeffrey Goldberg. The group reportedly discussed military actions in Yemen, raising concerns about national security and compliance with federal record-keeping laws.
Chioma Chukwu, interim executive director of American Oversight, voiced concerns about the sharing of sensitive information through Signal. Chukwu stressed that military planning should take place in secure settings, not informal chats. The lawsuit seeks to ensure the preservation and recovery of federal records, emphasizing the need for transparency for the American public.
Chukwu labeled the disclosure of such information in the group as a &#8220;five-alarm fire&#8221; for government accountability and said it was a potential crime.
The lawsuit references provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act, which permits the review of unlawful actions related to records. It suggests that agency heads or the Archivist may have neglected their responsibilities to prevent the improper destruction of records or to recover unlawfully removed documents.
In his statement, Chukwu said, &#8220;War planning doesn't belong in emoji-laden disappearing group chats. It belongs in secure facilities designed to safeguard national interests.&#8221;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44451506/jeremy-clarkson-claims-victory-over-elon-musk-after-17-years-amid-tesla-vandalism-warned-you-no-good-would-come-of-your-buying-choice">Jeremy Clarkson Claims Victory Over Elon Musk After 17 Years Amid Tesla Vandalism: Warned You &#8216;No Good Would Come Of Your Buying Choice&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The lawsuit&#8217;s backdrop involves a significant security breach where the Trump administration&#8217;s national security team inadvertently leaked sensitive war plans to a journalist. Goldberg revealed that he was accidentally added to a Signal chat discussing imminent military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. This incident exposed vulnerabilities in the communication practices of high-level officials.
Signal, a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/tech/25/03/44480053/what-is-signal-trump-admin-uses-messaging-app-similar-to-metas-whatsapp-to-discuss-war-plans">messaging app</a> similar to Meta&#8217;s WhatsApp, was used by the Trump administration to discuss confidential military operations. The app&#8217;s use raises questions about its safety and appropriateness for such sensitive discussions.
Photo Courtesy: noamgalai on Shutterstock.com
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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>

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Politics

General

Trump Administration Officials Face Lawsuit Over Signal Leak: 'War Planning Doesn't Belong In Emoji-Laden Disappearing Group Chats'

BlackRock (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLK#NYSE">BLK</a>) CEO Larry Fink didn't dance around it. In a sit-down recently with Kayla Tausche of <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/12/business/video/larry-fink-market-pullback-us-economy-blackrock-ceo-tausche-cnc-digvid">CNN</a>, he said out loud what a lot of Americans have probably suspected for a while: if you work for a Fortune 500 company, retirement isn't that scary. But if you don't? Well, good luck.
"One of the fundamental problems in America is retirement is not that bad of a problem for the top Fortune 500 companies," Fink said. "We are providing enough support to our employees where they're getting the adequacy of retirement. It's beyond that."
And that "beyond" is where things get dicey.
"We refuse to talk about how do we get more broadening of our economy with more Americans participating in that," he added. "And so that's why we have to have a conversation here in Washington. This has to be considered a national priority and a national promise to all Americans."
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Translation: The system works—if you're lucky enough to be inside it.
Fink was in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/03/44427073/larry-fink-says-the-u-s-needs-a-social-security-plan-where-every-american-can-grow-with-our-economy">D.C. meeting with policymakers</a>, pushing for retirement to be treated as a national priority. And this isn't some sudden concern. In his <a href="https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/investor-relations/larry-fink-annual-chairmans-letter">2024 annual letter to shareholders</a>, he laid it all out: the system is leaving millions behind—57 million Americans, to be exact. That includes gig workers, restaurant staff, farmers, and anyone without access to a traditional employer-sponsored retirement plan.
BlackRock tried to chip away at the problem by expanding access to target date ETFs, which are like training wheels for retirement investing. But even Fink admitted there are limits. "Better investment products can help, but there are limits to what something like a target date fund can do," he wrote. The biggest hurdle? Just getting started.
Meanwhile, Australia's been busy showing everyone how it's done.
Under the Superannuation Guarantee, Australian employers have been contributing to workers' retirement since 1992—no matter if they're full-time, part-time, or gig workers. The result? Australia now has the fourth-largest retirement system in the world, despite being ranked 54th in population.
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Fink doesn't suggest copy-pasting Australia's system onto the U.S., but he thinks it's worth studying. "More should consider it," he said, pointing to 20 U.S. states, including Colorado and Virginia, that are testing state-run retirement programs to fill the gap.
Even employees who do have access to retirement plans are missing out.
According to Fink, about 17% of workers eligible for employer plans don't enroll. It's not because they've run the numbers and decided to skip it—it's usually because life gets in the way.
"It sounds trivial," he wrote, "but even the hour or so it takes someone to look through their work email inbox for the correct link to their company's retirement system… can be the unclearable hurdle."
Enter auto-enrollment. It's a tiny nudge with a massive impact. Studies show it boosts participation by nearly 50%. A new federal law will soon require companies that launch new 401(k) plans to auto-enroll workers, but Fink says there's still room to level up—like defaulting to higher contributions or matching funds.
And then there's the other half of the equation: spending the money.
Turns out, saving for retirement is only half the battle. The other half? Knowing how to spend it. BlackRock's 2018 study of 1,150 retirees found that even after 20 years of retirement, the average person had 80% of their pre-retirement savings still sitting there.
They weren't broke—they were worried. Only 32% said they felt comfortable spending their savings. Fink calls it the "retirement paradox": people who've saved enough are still afraid to touch it.
This anxiety traces back to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/01/43216432/billionaire-blackrock-ceo-larry-fink-declares-no-one-should-have-to-work-longer-than-they-want-but-says-retiring-at-65-is-crazy">America's retirement makeover</a>. In the old days, pensions were the norm. Retire after a few decades, get a monthly check. Simple. But now? It's all defined contribution plans—401(k)s that follow workers from job to job. Or at least, they're supposed to.
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In reality, transferring a 401(k) is such a hassle that about 40% of people cash out their accounts when switching jobs. So instead of a steady paycheck in retirement, they're stuck solving a math problem: how much to withdraw, and how long it needs to last. Spoiler: most people aren't retirement actuaries.
To tackle the spending side of retirement, BlackRock rolled out LifePath Paycheck, a strategy now live and available through select retirement plans. It's designed to deliver pension-like income from a 401(k)—a predictable monthly paycheck, minus the guesswork.&nbsp;
This hybrid approach—offering both flexibility and security—can turn retirement from a math puzzle into something that actually feels manageable.
Fink thinks it could revolutionize how retirement works in America—and maybe even beyond. "Because while retirement is mainly a saving challenge," he wrote, "the data is clear: it's a spending one too."
Bottom line? The current system works great for those at the top. For everyone else, Fink's saying it out loud: the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/smartasset">U.S. has a retirement problem</a>, and ignoring it won't make it go away.
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Personal Finance

Billionaire BlackRock CEO Larry Fink Says Retirement Isn't a Problem for Fortune 500 Workers—But 'We Refuse' to Talk About Everyone Else

MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 79.14% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 96.21%. Currently, MARA Holdings has a market capitalization of $4.82 billion. 
Buying $1000 In MARA: If an investor had bought $1000 of MARA stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $28,500.00 today based on a price of $14.20 for MARA at the time of writing.
<h3>MARA Holdings's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742946308_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Trading Ideas

MARA

If You Invested $1000 In This Stock 5 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today

Comfort Systems USA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIX#NYSE">FIX</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 14.21% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 25.41%. Currently, Comfort Systems USA has a market capitalization of $13.34 billion. 
Buying $100 In FIX: If an investor had bought $100 of FIX stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $2,974.96 today based on a price of $375.10 for FIX at the time of writing.
<h3>Comfort Systems USA's Performance Over Last 15 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742945409_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 Comfort Systems USA Stock In The Last 15 Years

Big tech companies are employing the majority of approved H-1B visa workers in the U.S., according to <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/04/what-we-know-about-the-us-h-1b-visa-program/">research</a> from the Pew Research Center.  Here's a look at which companies <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42715951/trump-backs-immigration-visas-musk-praises-his-stance-and-says-rising-tide-lifts-all-boats">top the list</a>.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) came in first with 11,000 H-1B visa approvals in 2023, marking the third consecutive year the e-commerce giant topped the list. Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTSH#NASDAQ">CTSH</a>), Infosys Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INFY#NYSE">INFY</a>) and Tata Consultancy Services, Inc. round out the top four. 
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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 came in fifth place and employed almost 5,550 H-1B workers in 2023, less than half compared to Amazon.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) followed in sixth with nearly 4,800 workers and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) came in right behind at 3,800.
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) came in eighth place with 3,371 H-1B workers and currently faces a lawsuit claiming the company systematically favors foreign workers. 
Plaintiffs in the case argue that Meta has a pattern of prioritizing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/02/43964101/meta-hit-with-lawsuit-claiming-it-favors-foreign-workers-over-us-citizens-mark-zuckerberg-led-tech-giant-calls-it-baseless">visa holders</a> for employment, a claim supported by court-cited statistics: 15% of Meta&#8217;s U.S. workforce holds H-1B visas, compared to 0.5% across all industries.
Meta has denied the allegations and called the discrimination claims &#8220;baseless.&#8221;
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) ranked near the bottom of the 30 companies on Pew Research's list with less than 1,100 H-1B visas, accounting for 0.3% of total H-1B approvals. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been an outspoken<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1872374103983759835"> proponent</a> of the visa program, likening it to drafting talented foreign players to bolster an NBA team. 
The H-1B program, established in 1990, enables U.S. employers to recruit skilled foreign professionals with bachelor's degrees or equivalent qualifications for specialized roles.&nbsp;
H1-B visas are initially valid for three years, renewable up to six years, with potential extensions for those pursuing permanent residency. In 2023, 400,000 H-1B applications were approved with 65% of approvals being renewals.
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Photo: Cristian Storto via Shutterstock

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TSLA

Big Tech Companies Employ Majority Of H-1B Visa Workers: Where Do Amazon, Google, Meta Rank?

Last year on "<a href="https://youtu.be/rKXYo_Wc8iA?si=klqUe4z-SyEnBNj4">The Ramsey Show</a>," a caller named Casey from Amarillo, Texas, picked up the phone and did what most Americans won't: he admitted he didn't really get how the national debt works.
"I'm a little embarrassed because this is really going to showcase my ignorance of the subject," Casey told Dave Ramsey, before rattling off three surprisingly common questions: Who do we owe $33 trillion to? Why did we borrow it in the first place? And is it even possible — or remotely logical — to pay it off?
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Turns out, Casey voiced what a lot of people quietly wonder. The national debt gets thrown around in headlines and campaign speeches, but for the average person, it's about as clear as a tax form written in Latin.
So <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/02/43470226/dave-ramsey-to-47-year-old-caller-fire-your-tax-advisor-after-he-was-told-to-switch-from-a-roth-to-a-traditional-401k-for-tax-deduction">Ramsey did what he does best</a> — broke it all down in plain English, no fluff, and a few haymakers of truth along the way.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Who Do We Owe?</h2>
"We owe the money to whoever bought the Treasury bills," Ramsey explained. "If I bought a $100,000 Treasury bond, that means the United States of America owes me $100,000."
These bonds are basically government IOUs. People — and yes, other countries — buy them, and the U.S. promises to pay them back with interest. "Now, I know they're never gonna pay the bond," Ramsey said, "or if they do, they're gonna pay it by issuing another one."
So, yeah. It's like paying off one credit card with another and calling it fiscal policy.
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Ramsey warned that while most of this debt is held domestically, the foreign-held portion — like the chunk owned by China — is "a little dangerous… but it's not like they can repo Kentucky."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Did We Borrow This Much?</h2>
Short answer? Because the government spends more than it makes — just like people with five credit cards and no emergency fund.
"When the revenue coming in from taxes and other things won't cover the expenses of highways and military and $45,000 toilet seats and a billion dollars to this country and 8 billion to that country," Ramsey said, "we give billions and billions and billions away overseas when we don't have the income in a year."
That gap between spending and revenue is called the deficit, and every time we add to it, the total debt grows. Even when politicians say they're "cutting the deficit," Ramsey said, "All that means is they didn't go over budget quite as much."
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Can We Actually Pay It Off?</h2>
"Mathematically, we could," Ramsey said. "I don't think we have the political willpower to do it."
Why not? Because paying off the debt would require cutting a lot of things. And that would get ugly, fast.
"Tell your Uncle Henry who gets a subsidy because he runs a dairy farm that he's not going to get that anymore — he's not voting for that congressman," Ramsey said.&nbsp;
He pointed out that huge chunks of the budget are now just interest on the existing debt. And you can't exactly skip out on that payment. "So where are you gonna cut?" Ramsey asked. "You gonna cut the military? You gonna cut foreign aid? Highway funding? You think anyone's gonna be okay with that?"
Ramsey even described a road near one of his own properties that hasn't been fixed because the local government is waiting on $14 million in federal funds — money they've been expecting for five years. "Meanwhile the road's a damn goat track."
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Everyone's waiting for someone else to foot the bill. "Everybody's on the dadgum take," he said. "And nobody wants to say no. Saying no is the only way you balance a budget."
Ramsey summed it up like this: "It's not a math problem. It's a willpower problem." His co-host, George Kamal, even tossed in a nod to Warren Buffett, who once said: "<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/02/43904075/warren-buffett-said-he-could-end-u-s-deficit-in-5-minutes-if-you-guys-cant-get-it-done-well-get-some-other-guys-to-get-it-done">I could end the deficit in five minutes</a>. You just pass a law that says anytime there's a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for reelection."
Ramsey loved the idea. "You redefine what winning looks like," he said. Maybe Congress needs to learn a new word, he suggested — an ancient, nearly extinct word in Washington: "No."
A year later, have lawmakers finally learned to say "no"? It's… complicated. The Trump administration has proposed $1.7 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade, targeting everything from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/02/43901103/medicaid-faces-880-billion-cuts-but-trump-says-social-security-is-safe">Medicare and Medicaid</a> to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44408839/trump-will-sign-an-order-to-dismantle-the-department-of-education-on-thursday-report">Department of Education</a> — sparking backlash over potential harm to low-income families, rural schools, and essential services. While the goal is to rein in the $36 trillion national debt, the political firestorm proves Ramsey's point: "Saying no is the only way you balance a budget," but in Washington, it's still the hardest word to say.
As he put it: "You press your tongue to the roof of your mouth, release, and let air go by… No."
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'It's Not Like They Can Repo Kentucky' — Dave Ramsey Breaks Down The $36 Trillion National Debt In Simple Terms After Caller Asks Why Pay It

Sprouts Farmers Market (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFM#NASDAQ">SFM</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 4.77% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 15.57%. Currently, Sprouts Farmers Market has a market capitalization of $14.76 billion. 
Buying $100 In SFM: If an investor had bought $100 of SFM stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $446.20 today based on a price of $149.70 for SFM at the time of writing.
<h3>Sprouts Farmers Market's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742943609_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 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

Over the years, Ford Motor Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) has filed plenty of patents. A patent filed several years ago and recently published will likely be a big talking point for the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/electric-vehicle">electric vehicle sector.</a>
What Happened: Ford isn't new to filing patents for its electric vehicles and technology with the company previously filing a patent for technology that could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/08/33897914/charge-your-ev-while-driving-a-legacy-automakers-patent-aims-to-make-it-a-reality">charge a vehicle while driving.</a>
While that sounds useful and convenient for EV owners, the latest published patent is more decorative than useful.
Ford patented a manual gear shifter in electric vehicles, according to a <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/754432/ford-patent-manual-shifter-evs/">report </a>from InsideEVs.
Electric vehicles operate with a different system than traditional internal combustion-powered vehicles, which makes a manual stick shift a novelty item.
Titled, Shifter Assembly for Electric Vehicle, the patent shows a picture of a manual shift lever mounted on a raised section of the floor.
The <a href="https://www.freepatentsonline.com/20250092947.pdf">patent </a>says the shifter "manages the flow of electrical energy delivered by the battery pack, controlling the speed of the motors and the torque each motor produces."
According to the report this means the shift would imitate a standard transmission and could actually make the EV slower as the output is interrupted.
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Why It's Important: While the patent filing doesn't mean Ford will put this novelty item inside new electric vehicles anytime soon, the filing will likely raise questions.
It would seem there is a small audience who would find a manual shift nostalgic, even if it isn't practical in an electric vehicle.
According to the report, Ford isn't the first to try an idea like this with a manual shift inside an electric vehicle. Hyundai and Toyota also tried similar methods.
Ford had two of the top-selling electric vehicles in the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/01/42978236/us-electric-vehicle-sales-hit-record-1-3-million-units-in-2024-despite-tesla-declines-top-10-bestselling-models-list"> U.S. in 2024</a>, with the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning ranking third and sixth, respectively.
Ford had a market share of 7.5% for electric vehicles in the U.S. in 2024, trailing only market leader Tesla (48.7%).
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Photo: Supergenijalac via Shutterstock. (Image is of generic stick shift, not a Ford.)

Ford Patent Filing For Manual Shift In EVs: Will Car Owners Appreciate The Legacy Stick Shift Efforts?

SPX Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPXC#NYSE">SPXC</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 9.84% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 20.63%. Currently, SPX Technologies has a market capitalization of $6.47 billion. 
Buying $1000 In SPXC: If an investor had bought $1000 of SPXC stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $6,540.80 today based on a price of $139.51 for SPXC at the time of writing.
<h3>SPX Technologies's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742942709_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.

SPXC

$1000 Invested In SPX Technologies 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

Billionaire investor <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44449291/mark-cuban-recalls-how-he-went-off-on-mavericks-players-did-you-get-your-paycheck-because-you-all-arent-doing-s">Mark Cuban</a> recently weighed in on government spending cuts, drawing a sharp distinction between managing a business turnaround and reducing government spending. Cuban&#8217;s comments came after a conservative activist criticized his perspective on X.&nbsp;
The discussion highlighted Cuban&#8217;s concerns about the economic and social fallout of aggressive government cuts and the need for a more organized approach.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cuban&#8217;s Take on Government Spending Cuts</h2>
On March 20, Cuban posted <a href="https://x.com/realchrisrufo/status/1902787469625659629">on X</a>, expressing his support for reducing government costs—but with a caveat. While he agreed with the idea of improving efficiency and cutting waste, Cuban warned that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43978834/kevin-oleary-says-government-needs-more-more-cutting-urges-slashing-and-hacking-to-fix-federal-spending">cutting government programs</a> and jobs without proper analysis could lead to unintended consequences.
&#8220;I am all for cutting gov costs, then and now. I&#8217;m even more for efficiency,&#8221; Cuban wrote. &#8220;I would have a plan. Ready Fire Aim is not a plan.&#8221;
He cautioned that cutting programs, agencies, and employees all at once—without understanding the broader economic impact—could backfire. Cuban pointed out that some cities rely heavily on federal employment, with up to 9% of their workforce tied to government jobs. He argued that sudden cuts could result in lost jobs, declining home values, and weakened local economies.
&#8220;What do you think the economic impact on their tax base is? What do you think happens to home values? What services will they have to end?&#8221; Cuban asked. &#8220;How many people will lose their jobs and homes because this was done ALL AT ONCE?&#8221;
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rufo&#8217;s Response: A Corporate Turnaround Approach</h2>
Christopher F. Rufo, a conservative activist known for his outspoken views on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44273950/the-government-is-inefficient-not-very-competent-and-needs-a-lot-of-work-jamie-dimon-weighs-in-on-elon-musks-doge">government reform</a>, pushed back on Cuban&#8217;s concerns. Rufo argued that bold and immediate action was necessary, comparing government cuts to a corporate restructuring.
&#8220;Excuses. Anyone who has done corporate turnarounds knows you have to be aggressive and make tough decisions, then adjust as you move forward,&#8221; Rufo said <a href="https://x.com/realchrisrufo/status/1902787469625659629">on X</a>. &#8220;If anything, DOGE has been far too timid.&#8221;
Rufo dismissed concerns about chaos, comparing the situation to Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, which was widely criticized but ultimately led to operational changes.
Trending: Can you guess how many Americans successfully retire with $1,000,000 saved?<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/1milsaved"> The percentage may shock you</a>.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cuban's Rebuttal: Government Isn&#8217;t a Business</h2>
Cuban <a href="https://x.com/mcuban/status/1902891714836308225">responded</a> by emphasizing the difference between corporate and government leadership. &#8220;Correct. But this isn't a corporate turnaround. This is the United States of America,&#8221; he wrote.
He acknowledged that most people, including himself, agree on the need to reduce government spending and the deficit. However, Cuban questioned whose interests would be served by these cuts and over what time frame the benefits would materialize.
&#8220;With a corporate turnaround, everyone knows that all actions are for the benefit of the owner(s),&#8221; Cuban said. &#8220;Who are the owners that are accruing the benefits in this turnaround, Christopher?&#8221;
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Cuban stressed that government decisions impact millions of Americans, not just shareholders. He argued that citizens, as stakeholders, deserve transparency and answers before sweeping cuts are made.
&#8220;In this case, there are 330 [million] &#8216;directors.&#8217; Most, like me, want to see the country succeed with the &#8216;new management,&#8217; but they also want some answers to their questions. Isn&#8217;t that fair?&#8221;
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cuban Advocates for a Thoughtful Approach</h2>
While Cuban supports reducing government inefficiencies, he maintained that any cuts should be carefully planned and assessed for their long-term impact. He urged policymakers to approach spending cuts with the same level of strategic oversight that would be expected in a corporate setting—if not more—because the stakes are higher when the livelihoods of millions of Americans are involved.
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Mark Cuban on DOGE Government Cuts: 'This Isn't A Corporate Turnaround—This Is the United States of America'

BJ's Wholesale Club Hldgs (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BJ#NYSE">BJ</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 16.65% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 33.73%. Currently, BJ's Wholesale Club Hldgs has a market capitalization of $14.42 billion. 
Buying $100 In BJ: If an investor had bought $100 of BJ stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $444.32 today based on a price of $109.48 for BJ at the time of writing.
<h3>BJ's Wholesale Club Hldgs's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742941809_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 $100 Invested In BJ's Wholesale Club Hldgs 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Ripple Labs appears poised to conclude its lengthy courtroom standoff with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with a proposed settlement returning $75 million of a previously imposed $125 million penalty.
In an update shared Tuesday on X (formerly Twitter), Ripple's Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty <a href="https://x.com/s_alderoty/status/1904587116488917053?s=46&amp;t=8NRtgRDdqD7hUivi1jQV8Q">announced</a> the SEC agreed to retain only $50 million of the fine and return the remainder.
The proposal is still pending formal approval by both SEC commissioners and the court.
This development follows the SEC's recent decision to abandon its appeal of a 2023 ruling by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres. 
The judge found that Ripple's programmatic sales of XRP on retail exchanges did not constitute violations of securities laws — contradicting the SEC's broader claims.
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The court did determine Ripple's institutional sales of XRP did breach securities regulations, leading to the initial $125 million penalty.
The new settlement will also see Ripple drop its cross-appeal, effectively ending both sides' attempts to challenge aspects of the original verdict. 
According to Alderoty, the SEC will also petition to lift the standard injunction currently imposed on Ripple.
The financial implications are significant. 
The SEC originally sought nearly $2 billion in civil penalties and interest from Ripple. The final $50 million retained represents a small fraction of that amount.
Ripple's native token, XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>), briefly rose 1.5% on the news before settling slightly lower. As of the latest data, XRP was trading at $2.47, down 0.5% over 24 hours, echoing broader market trends reflected in the CoinDesk 20 Index.
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Photo: Shutterstock

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

Cryptocurrency

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$XRP

Ripple Closes In On Legal Resolution With SEC, Will Recover $75 Million From Original Fine

Contracts

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Management

ADM Cutting More Jobs This Week As Part Of Global Cost Reduction Plan; ADM Agricultural Services And Oilseeds Division Targeted By Fresh Cuts; Employees At ADM's Swiss Office Received Layoff Notices On Tuesday

More media companies and legacy linear network owners are launching streaming platforms, adding to the market more options for consumers than ever, which could mean a high monthly bill when it comes<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/streaming"> to streaming costs.</a>
A new survey finds that consumers are tired of spending so much and could consider canceling plans as more plan prices going up.
What Happened: As Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) pushes to add more subscribers to its already record increase in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43114866/netflix-q4-earnings-record-subscribers-nfl-squid-game-push-past-highest-expectations">the fourth quarter</a>, the company could face pressure from consumers considering lowering the amount they're spending on streaming platforms monthly.
A new Deloitte report says consumers spend an average of $69 per month on streaming, up 13% year-over-year from the same report last year. Consumers subscribe to an average of four streaming platforms each month, as reported by Variety.
The bad news for streamers is that 47% of consumers surveyed said they pay too much for the streaming platforms they have. Forty-one percent said that the content on streaming platforms isn't worth the price, up five percentage points from 36% in last year's report.
The survey found that cable or satellite TV customers spend $125 per month, more than streaming customers.
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Why It's Important: Streaming platforms could face pressure to keep customers as more platforms launch and as consumers look to cut costs.
The survey found that 60% of consumers said they would cancel their service if their favorite streamer raised prices by $5 per month.
More than half of consumers who subscribe to streaming platforms (54%) said they have at least one ad-supported tier, which could be to cut costs. This was up from 46% with at least one ad-supported tier last year.
Netflix and Walt Disney Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) have ad-supported plans and used this avenue as a way to lower churn and get consumers subscribed at lower price points and offset the subscription revenue with advertising revenue.
Price Matters: Survey respondents say $14 is the right spot for ad-free streaming platforms and $10 is the right price for ad-supported services. Platforms that price above these ranges could face consumer losses.
Netflix raised prices in January with its ad-free plan now costing $17.99 per month. The streaming leader continues to add to its content with live sports rights and events, which could help keep people subscribed all year long and justify one of the higher prices in the market.
What&#8217;s Next: Upcoming quarterly reports from media companies could be key for investors to see if the survey results hold true and people are cancelling plans. Thirty-nine percent of consumers in the survey said they canceled at least one streaming platform plan in the last six months.
AppleTV+, a streaming plan from Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), currently only offers <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/25/03/44336535/apple-stock-could-get-ted-lasso-boost-hit-soccer-comedy-set-for-fourth-season">an ad-free plan</a>. The platform, which has a smaller content library than rivals, has an ad-supported plan reportedly in the works. Based on this survey, the sooner that platform launches, the quicker Apple could boost its subscriber count.
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Entertainment

Media

NFLX

Americans Say They Pay Too Much For Streaming Each Month: Here's How Much The Average Spend Is On Netflix, Disney+, Hulu And More

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This research and development (R&amp;D) and commercialization agreement is focused on developing and bringing to market high-quality, durable and permanent same-day restorations – with the quality patients and dentists expect from the current multi-visit laboratory fabricated procedures.

SOLV

Solventum Enters Strategic Partnership With SprintRay

KLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLAC#NASDAQ">KLAC</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 6.58% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 14.85%. Currently, KLA has a market capitalization of $95.92 billion. 
Buying $100 In KLAC: If an investor had bought $100 of KLAC stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $1,568.90 today based on a price of $721.85 for KLAC at the time of writing.
<h3>KLA's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742940010_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.

KLAC

If You Invested $100 In This Stock 20 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today

IPOs

EPSM

EPSIUM ENTERPRISE Reports Pricing Of Its IPO Of 1.25M Ordinary Shares At $4.00 Per Ordinary Share

The Company will commercialize the new formulation under the tradename EGRIFTA WR.
EGRIFTA WR will be supplied as four single-patient-use vials, each containing 11.6 mg of tesamorelin, sufficient for seven doses.

THTX

Theratechnologies Says FDA Approved Supplemental Biologics License Application For F8 Formulation Of Tesamorelin For Injection

Press Releases

VEON's Jazz to Deploy 1,000 Solar Sites across Pakistan in collaboration with Huawei

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Earnings

VEON to release 4Q 2024 trading update on 20 March 2025

VEON appoints Johan Buse as the Incoming CEO of Banglalink

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VEON's Kyivstar Expands Digital Portfolio with Acquisition of Uklon, Ukraine's Top Ride-Hailing Business

VEON FY24 and 4Q24 Trading Update: Strong Delivery in 2024, Digital Services Driving Growth

VEON to Proceed with USD 35 Million Share Buyback

VEON Discloses Selected Key Financial Metrics About Uklon

VEON and Airspan Sign MoU to Collaborate on Air-to-Land Network Solutions Supporting Ukraine's Resilience

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Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS Common Stock

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