La vendita allo scoperto per Northam Platinum Hldgs dà agli investitori un'idea del grado in cui gli investitori stanno scommettendo sul declino delle azioni di Northam Platinum Hldgs. I dati relativi alle vendite allo scoperto vengono aggiornati ogni due settimane.

Northam Platinum Hldgs (OTC:NPTLF) Azioni, Report sulle vendite allo scoperto

Northam Platinum Holdings Ltd is an integrated producer of platinum group metals. Its primary products are the three PGMs, platinum, palladium, and rhodium. The primary consumers of these metals are the motor manufacturing industry, the jewelry industry, and other industrial sectors. Its segments include Northam Holdings, Zondereinde mine, Booysendal mine, Eland mine, and the U.S. recycling operations. The maximum revenue for the company is generated from its Zondereinde mine segment.

NORTHAM PLATINUM HLDGS by NORTHAM PLATINUM HLDGS LTD.

Northam Platinum Holdings Ltd

Xunlei (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XNET#NASDAQ">XNET</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.00 per share. This is a 94.29 percent decrease over earnings of $0.07 per share from the same period last year. The company reported $88.45 million in sales this quarter. This is a 10.60 percent increase over sales of $79.98 million the same period last year.

Earnings

News

XNET

Xunlei Q1 Adj. EPS $0.00 Down From $0.07 YoY, Sales $88.45M Up From $79.98M YoY

Calfrac Well Servs (TSX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CFW#TSX">CFW</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.09 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $(0.05) by 280 percent. This is a 400 percent increase over losses of $(0.03) per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $370.06 million which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $350.00 million by 5.73 percent. This is a 12.11 percent increase over sales of $330.10 million the same period last year.

Earnings Beats

TSX:CFW

Calfrac Well Servs Q1 EPS $0.09 Beats $(0.05) Estimate, Sales $370.06M Beat $350.00M Estimate

Our board of directors has approved a two-part dividend in the total amount of US$0.25 per ordinary share or US$2.00 per ADS comprised of (i) an annual regular cash dividend for fiscal year 2025 in the amount of US$0.13125 per ordinary share or US$1.05 per ADS, and (ii) a one-time extraordinary cash dividend as a distribution of proceeds from disposition of certain businesses and financial investments in the amount of US$0.11875 per ordinary share or US$0.95 per ADS, in each case payable in U.S. dollars, to holders of ordinary shares and holders of ADSs, as of the close of business on June 12, 2025, Hong Kong Time and New York Time, respectively. The aggregate amount of the dividend will be approximately US$4.6 billion.&nbsp;

Dividends

BABA

Alibaba Declares $2.00 Per ADS Dividend, Including $0.95 One-Time Payout From Asset Sales

Macro Economic Events

Econ #s

Economics

Eurozone Industrial Production (MoM) For March 2.6% Vs. 1.9% Est.; 1.1% Prior

Eurozone Gross Domestic Product (QoQ) Preliminary For Q1 0.3% Vs. 0.4% Est.; 0.2% Prior

Eurozone Gross Domestic Product (YoY) Preliminary For Q1 1.2% Vs. 1.2% Est.; 1.2% Prior

U.K. Labour Productivity For Q4 0.7% Vs. 0.7% Est.; -1.1% Prior

Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $1.73 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.48 by 16.89 percent. This is a 23.57 percent increase over earnings of $1.40 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $32.58 billion which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $33.08 billion by 1.50 percent. This is a 6.04 percent increase over sales of $30.73 billion the same period last year.

Earnings Misses

CORRECTION: Alibaba Group Q4 Adj. EPS $1.73 Beats $1.48 Estimate, Sales $32.58B Miss $33.08B Estimate

U.S. stock futures were lower on Thursday after mostly closing higher on Wednesday. Futures of major benchmark indices were trading lower in premarket.
Wednesday saw a positive momentum in tech stocks led by Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) following the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/25/05/45405067/saudi-arabia-bets-big-on-ai-teams-up-with-aws-and-nvidia">deals with Saudi Arabia</a>, strong earnings from Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) and CoreWeave Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWV#NASDAQ">CRWV</a>). 
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who last year sparked &#8220;Jensanity&#8221; among attendees, will headline this year&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/05/45426637/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-expected-to-unveil-new-ai-alliances-at-computex-2025-as-geopolitical-pressures-persist-over-tech-sector">annual Computex trade show</a>, which will run from May 20–23 in Taipei, reported Reuters. His keynote is expected to spotlight Nvidia&#8217;s deepening partnerships with Taiwanese firms like Foxconn and Quanta. 
Investors assessed the economic impacts of a tariff pause with China and await the Producer Price Index data slated to be released today.
The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.50% and the two-year bond was at 4.03%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool&#8217;</a>s projections show markets pricing a 91.7% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its June meeting. 
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Change (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>-0.42%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>-0.81%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>-0.63%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>-0.35%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, fell in premarket on Thursday. The SPY was down 0.68% to $583.57, while the QQQ declined 0.87% to $514.18, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
Cues From Last Session:
Driven by renewed risk appetite after U.S.-China trade negotiation progress, information technology and communication services sectors led gains on Wednesday, bucking the broader negative trend where health care, materials, and real estate stocks saw the biggest losses.
Overall, U.S. stocks settled mixed, with the S&amp;P 500 extending its gains for a third session, up over 4% week-to-date, while the Dow added around 2% and the Nasdaq surged over 6% for the week.
Notably, Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) shares climbed significantly. Separately, U.S. mortgage applications saw a modest increase of 1.1%.
The Dow Jones index declined 89 points or 0.21% to 42,051.06, whereas the S&amp;P 500 index rose 0.10% to 5,892.58. Nasdaq Composite ended 0.72% higher at 19,146.81, and the small-cap gauge, Russell 2000, dropped 0.88% to 2,083.80.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>0.72%</td>
<td>19,146.81</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>0.10%</td>
<td>5,892.58</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>-0.21%</td>
<td>42,051.06</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>0.88%</td>
<td>2,083.80</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Insights From Analysts:
According to Scott Wren, the senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo, despite having a bit of a surprise in the outcome in terms of the U.S.-China trade talks, &#8220;The bottom line is that many uncertainties remain.&#8221;
&#8220;The U.S. is in the early stages of trade negotiations. Given that, our guidance is to continue to lean toward higher-quality large- and mid-cap U.S. equities. In fixed income, we favor exposure to investment-grade corporates and essential-service municipal bonds in the three-to-seven-year maturity range,&#8221; he said.
He highlighted that the market bounce back hinged on a variety of factors, including better-than-expected earnings and, particularly, guidance during the first-quarter reporting season as well as expectations that some trade deals would be announced (i.e., last week's U.K. deal).
It also has helped that much of the reported data covering April has so far continued to show U.S. economic resilience, he explained.
Talking about the U.S.-China deal, he said, &#8220;Of course, as always, the devil is in the details, and a deal has not officially been inked. A lot can happen between now and then.&#8221;
Meanwhile, the analysts at BlackRock said that &#8220;We eye opportunities from mega forces,&#8221; adding that &#8220;We still see tariffs causing further contractions in quarterly activity but the cumulative impact may be more limited.&#8221;
&#8220;We still see supply disruptions upping inflation and hitting growth, but also a path to avoiding a U.S. contraction over 2025 as a whole. Mega forces, greater fiscal spending, and higher interest rates are driving select opportunities,&#8221; the note added.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-trade-futures">How to Trade Futures</a> 
Upcoming Economic Data
Here&#8217;s what investors will keep an eye on Thursday:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The initial jobless claims data for the week ended May 10 will be out by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>April&#8217;s U.S. retail sales, core and headline producer price index, May&#8217;s Empire State manufacturing survey, and Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey will also be announced at 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Fed Chairman Jerome Powell will speak at 8:40 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>April&#8217;s industrial production and capacity utilization will be out by 9:15 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>March&#8217;s business inventories data and May&#8217;s home builder confidence index will be released by 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Fed Governor Michael Barr will speak at 2:05 p.m. ET.</li>
<li></li>
</ul>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) fell 1.12% as analysts expect it to report quarterly earnings of $1.37 per share on revenue of $33.21 billion, before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Deere &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DE#NYSE">DE</a>) was down 0.24% as Wall Street expects it to report earnings before the opening bell. It is expected to post earnings of $5.58 per share on revenue of $10.79 billion.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>) was 0.43% higher as analysts expect it to report quarterly earnings of 58 cents per share on revenue of $165.88 billion, before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Boot Barn Holdings Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BOOT#NYSE">BOOT</a>) jumped 14.51% despite posting downbeat earnings for its fourth quarter, but issued first-quarter guidance with its midpoint above estimates. The company also announced a $200 million share repurchase program.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) advanced 3.44% after posting stronger-than-expected results for its third quarter and raising its fiscal 2025 guidance.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Boeing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>) was up 0.97% after it inked a record-breaking deal with Qatar Airways of up to 210 planes.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) declined 4.87% after a report that the Justice Department is investigating the company for possible Medicare fraud.</li>
</ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SCHW#NYSE">SCHW</a>) was 0.93% lower after announcing the redemption of &#8216;series G&#8217; preferred stock.</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 3.99% to hover around $60.63 per barrel.
Gold Spot US Dollar fell 0.43% to hover around $3,164.60 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,500.33 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was lower by 0.31% at the 100.7260 level.
Asian markets ended lower on Thursday except India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex and Australia's ASX 200 index. Japan's Nikkei 225, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, South Korea's Kospi, and China&#8217;s CSI 300 indices declined. European markets were mostly lower in early trade.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/05/45399940/warren-buffett-shows-how-patience-pays-98-of-his-160-billion-wealth-came-after-turning-65-thanks-the-power-of-compound-interest">Warren Buffett Shows How Patience Pays: 98% Of His $160 Billion Wealth Came After Turning 65, Thanks The Power Of &#8216;Compound Interest&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Asia

Equities

Government

Macro Notification

Market Summary

Regulations

Bonds

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Guidance

Emerging Markets

Eurozone

Futures

Commodities

Forex

Treasuries

Federal Reserve

Pre-Market Outlook

Markets

Analyst Ratings

ETFs

General

BOOT

CRWV

CSCO

NVDA

SCHW

US Stocks Likely To Open Lower After S&P 500's Three-Day Winning Streak: '...Many Uncertainties Remain,' Says Expert

Full-Year 2025: The Company reiterated full-year 2025 non-GAAP total revenue which is expected to be in a range of $2,918 million to $2,938 million, representing 7% year over year growth at the midpoint.
The Company increased full-year 2025 non-GAAP fully diluted earnings per share which is expected to be in a range of $12.28 to $12.48, representing 11% year over year growth at the midpoint.

NICE

NICE Raises FY2025 Adj EPS Guidance from $12.13-$12.33 To $12.28-$12.48 Vs $12.25 Est; Affirms FY2025 Sales Guidance Of $2.918B-$2.938B Vs $2.93B Est

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15081745/Kintor-0515-900x600-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-12987" srcset="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15081745/Kintor-0515-900x600-1.png 900w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15081745/Kintor-0515-900x600-1-300x200.png 300w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15081745/Kintor-0515-900x600-1-768x512.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>
The cash-strapped biotech has begun generating its first revenue from over-the-counter cosmetic treatments, as it pivots away from its original oncology drugs
<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Key Takeaways:</h4>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Kintor Pharma is shifting from its origins as a cancer drug specialist with its latest two products for freckle-removing and hair loss treatments</li>
<li>The company has generated its first revenue from over-the-counter cosmetic treatments, but is also continuing clinical trials for its hair loss drug</li>
</ul>
Talk about cosmetic makeovers.
When&nbsp;Kintor Pharmaceutical Ltd.&nbsp;(9939.HK) made its Hong Kong IPO in May 2020, the Suzhou-based biotech firm had two potential winners in its pipeline, with clinical trials underway for its cancer and hair-loss treatments. The company was developing proxalutamide for treatment of late-stage prostate cancer, forecasting the China market for the drug could be worth an estimated 21.3 billion yuan ($2.95 billion) by 2025. It also had big hopes for a hair loss drug in development, hoping to enter a market dominated by&nbsp;Johnson &amp; Johnson's&nbsp;(JNJ.US) minoxidil and&nbsp;Merck &amp; Co.'s&nbsp;(MRK.US) finasteride, tapping into a Chinese hair loss market worth 3.1 billion yuan, according to its prospectus.
Fast forward to the present, when the company's approach is undergoing a big shift. Kintor has given up on proxalutamide. What's more the company's&nbsp;<a href="https://staticpacific.blob.core.windows.net/press-releases-attachments/3558273/HKEX-EPS_20250429_11653395_0.PDF">latest annual report</a>&nbsp;for 2024, released in April, shows it has virtually shut down its R&amp;D division for oncology research.
Its current direction is reflected in a more recent&nbsp;<a href="https://staticpacific.blob.core.windows.net/press-releases-attachments/3558273/HKEX-EPS_20250429_11653395_0.PDF">announcement</a>&nbsp;last week, where it disclosed that it has begun to commercialize KT-939, a "functional raw material" for skin whitening and freckle-removing cosmetics. According to data from the China Association of Fragrance Flavor and Cosmetic Industries, cited by Kintor, the global market for such cosmetic materials was worth $50 billion in 2023 and is expected to rise to $60 billion by 2030.
Sales of such products in China were worth 61.9 billion yuan in 2023, Kintor said, citing the association's data. "In the multi-layer layout of the cosmetic raw material market, functional raw material is its core composition," the company said.
Shares of Kintor briefly jumped by 8% the day after last week's announcement, though they later gave back most of that to close up less than 1%. The announcement seemed to confirm Kintor's turn away from the marathon exercise of pushing drugs through clinical trials required to receive regulatory approval.
In addition to KT-939, Kintor is also working on KX-826, a hair loss treatment. It already sells KX-826 in an over-the-counter product called Koshiné, and is also working on clinical trials that, if successful, would give the treatment more credibility as a prescription drug.
In 2024, the company recorded its first revenue of 5 million yuan from Koshiné, whose web page describes the treatment a "cosmetic brand." KX-826 is also currently undergoing clinical trials for treatment of androgenic alopecia (AGA), a type of hair loss that can affect both men and women.
On May 2, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://staticpacific.blob.core.windows.net/press-releases-attachments/3559595/HKEX-EPS_20250502_11658701_0.PDF">announced</a>&nbsp;that a clinical observational study for KX-826, used in combination with minoxidil, for treatment of AGA had reached its "primary endpoint," paving the way for the design of new trials. The results were positive but not exactly huge cause for celebration, saying the study showed a slight advantage to a group that received the combined minoxidil and KX-826 treatment, compared with another group just receiving minoxidil.
<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Dwindling cash</h4>
How the company will fund an envisioned phase three trial for the minoxidil and KX-826 combination, potentially involving thousands of volunteers, is another question. Kintor has been burning through cash for years and is unlikely to attract much interest from investors if it tries to raise new funds by issuing new shares. At the end of last year, it had just 147.4 million yuan in cash, down sharply from 456.3 million yuan at the end of 2023.
Regulatory approval for KX-826 as a prescription drug treatment would put Kintor in the big leagues with only two global competitors. But such approval is by no means guaranteed. For now, according to its annual report, the company is focusing on less capital-intensive cosmetic products. It has offered six such products, including Koshiné, as well as an acne cream based on KX-826 and a whitening essence and lotion based on KT-939, since the beginning of 2025.
The company is using popular social media channels, including Tmall, JD.com, Douyin and Xiaohongshu in China, and Amazon.com internationally, together with its own online sales platform to market the over-the-counter cosmetic treatments. Needless to say, both cosmetic hair loss and whitening products have numerous competitors in both China and globally in the lightly regulated over-the-counter market, and it's not clear what competitive advantage Kintor's products would have.
While its revenue from over-the-counter treatments is still quite small, a more telling number was the 91.7% decrease in Kintor's R&amp;D costs from 938.9 million yuan in 2023 to just 78.1 million yuan last year, reflecting its transition into less cost-intensive cosmetic treatments. That helped the company pare its annual loss by 85.4% to 155 million yuan last year from 1 billion yuan in 2023. The company attributed the big drop in R&amp;D spending to its "increasing focus on investments in core dermatology pipelines KX-826 and GT20029, which have much lower costs compared to oncology pipelines." GT20029 is a topical compound for treatment of AGA.
In jumping into the non-prescription hair loss market, Kintor is joining an increasingly crowded field whose members include&nbsp;Cutia Therapeutics&nbsp;(2487.HK)and&nbsp;Yonghe Medical&nbsp;(2279.HK). Shares of Cutia, which sells a spray for AGA called CU-40102, are down 72% from their June 2023 IPO, while shares of Yonghe Medical, which provides hair transplants and restoration, are down nearly 93% from their market debut at the end of 2021.
Kintor is in the same ballpark, with its shares now down more than 90% from their IPO price. The stock has also defied the broader market for drug stocks, down 2.7% over the last year compared with a 16.5% rise over that time for the Hang Seng Health Care Index.

Biotech

Opinion

Trading Ideas

From Cancer Drugs To Cosmetics: A Cash-strapped Company's Makeover Story

Second-Quarter 2025: Second-quarter 2025 non-GAAP total revenue is expected to be in a range of $709 million to $719 million, representing 7% year over year growth at the midpoint.
Second-quarter 2025 non-GAAP fully diluted earnings per share is expected to be in a range of $2.93 to $3.03, representing 13% year over year growth at the midpoint

NICE Sees Q2 Adj EPS $2.93-$3.03 Vs $2.97 Est; Sees Sales $709M-$719M Vs $715.41M Est

BIRK

Birkenstock Sees Fiscal 2025 Revenue Growth At The High-end Of Previous Guidance (15-17% In Constant Currency) And Is Increasing Its Adjusted EBITDA Margin Guidance To 31.3-31.8%, 50 Basis Points Above Previous Guidance, Implying An Adjusted EBITDA Target Of €660M-€670M

Birkenstock Holding Q2 2025 Adj. EPS $0.58 Beats $0.54 Estimate, Sales $603.62M Beat $567.17M Estimate

NICE (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NICE#NASDAQ">NICE</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $2.87 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.85 by 0.7 percent. This is a 11.24 percent increase over earnings of $2.58 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $700.19 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $701.39 million by 0.17 percent. This is a 6.20 percent increase over sales of $659.31 million the same period last year.

NICE Q1 Adj. EPS $2.87 Beats $2.85 Estimate, Sales $700.19M Miss $701.39M Estimate

Performance marketing platform, Ibotta Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBTA#NYSE">IBTA</a>), offers fresh insights into changing brand behaviors, particularly the strategies adopted by consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to navigate today&#8217;s highly competitive retail environment. 
What Happened: During its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/IBTA/earnings">first quarter results</a> on Wednesday, Ibotta&#8217;s CEO, Bryan Leach, said that brands are increasingly beginning to adopt Ibotta's CPID model, which is short for &#8220;cost per incremental dollar,&#8221; as a way to manage promotional spend based on measurable ROIs, rather than calendar based campaigns.
&#8220;We're starting to see that it's now not as binary,&#8221; Leach says, with CPG clients no longer approaching promotions as one-off decisions. Instead, they&#8217;re asking, &#8220;what number would we need to hit in terms of cost per incremental dollar for you to keep this on?&#8221; he says. 
Leach says this marks a fundamental shift from traditional practices in the industry, which have long relied on annual planning and lagging performance measurement. &#8220;That agility is so different from an industry where you have an annual plan and very episodic measurement,&#8221; he said.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/05/45430137/trump-had-a-problem-with-tim-cook-president-says-he-told-apple-ceo-i-dont-want-you-building-in-india-amid-tariff-concerns-and-production-shift-from-china">Trump Had A &#8216;Little Problem&#8217; With Apple CEO Tim Cook, Says &#8216;I Don&#8217;t Want You Building In India&#8217;</a>
Ibotta's CPID model allows brands to dynamically set efficiency targets and continuously evaluate the profitability of their campaigns. According to Leach, early pilot clients have already expanded usage, with one CPG brand increasing its Ibotta spend eightfold year-over-year.
As more clients adopt the model, Ibotta is working to automate current manual workflows to support broader rollout. &#8220;You should be using this tool,&#8221; he says. The only real question for clients, he says, is whether they can achieve the volume they are aiming for, within the efficiency constraints they&#8217;ve set.
The company sees this shift as a key step toward its long-term goal of becoming what Leach calls an &#8220;indispensable tool for the next generation of brand management.&#8221;
Why It Matters: During its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/IBTA/earnings">first quarter results</a> on Wednesday, the company reported $84.57 million in sales, growing just 3% year-over-year, but beating consensus estimates by $2.53 million. It posted a profit of $0.02 per share, beating consensus estimates, but dropping significantly from $0.33 a year ago. 
The Bear Cave Report recently took a <a href="https://benzinga.com/25/03/44420450/short-seller-says-ibotta-is-a-broken-business-bound-for-lower-share-prices">swipe at the company</a>, calling it a &#8220;broken business&#8221; that is likely to head lower, citing slow revenue growth and complaints from former customers and employees.
Price Action: The stock was up 0.34% on Wednesday, trading at $50.13, and is up 3.73% after hours, following its first quarter earnings. 
<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="134" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15050134/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-2.31.22-PM-1024x134.png" alt="" class="wp-image-916200" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15050134/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-2.31.22-PM-1024x134.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15050134/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-2.31.22-PM-300x39.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15050134/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-2.31.22-PM-768x101.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15050134/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-2.31.22-PM-1536x202.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15050134/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-2.31.22-PM.png 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
According to Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings, iBotta scores poorly and is in the 11th percentile on momentum. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Let&#8217;s see</a> more insights on this stock. 
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</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock

IBTA

Ibotta CEO Says Consumer Goods Giant Boosted Spend 8x As Brands Ditch Old-School Promotions For ROI-Driven Strategy Amid Fierce Retail Competition

Ethereum was trading lower early Thursday, reversing a searing rally that made it the most successful large-cap coin over the week.
What happened: The second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization fell below $2,600 on profit-taking, having reclaimed $2,700 the day before. The trading volume dropped 34% in the last 24 hours.
ETH, which has been a major underperformer this year, rose sharply on <a href="http://nga.com/25/05/45397274/ethereum-breaches-2700-after-nearly-three-months3000-next">favorable macroeconomic developments</a>, such as the U.S.-China tariff de-escalation and the softer-than-expected consumer inflation data.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44621245/gold-backed-cryptos-match-yellow-metals-highs-following-trumps-liberation-day-shock"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45427302/anthony-scaramucci-forecasts-bitcoin-will-be-deemed-asset-class-akin-to-gold-when-it-reaches-500000">Anthony Scaramucci Says Once Bitcoin Hits $500,000 It Will Be Considered An Asset Class Just Like Gold</a>
The rally has pushed it to levels not seen since the closing days of February. The coin has rallied 32% over the week and 42% since the beginning of May. Note that ETH recorded five consecutive red months before this.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>7-Day Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 4:30 a.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td>
<td>+32.89%</td>
<td>$2,557.94</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td>
<td>+13.19%</td>
<td>$2.47</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)</td>
<td>+13.36%</td>
<td>$172.41</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The uptick dwarfed the returns of major altcoins such as XRP and Solana, both of which gained a little over 13% in a week's time.
Widely followed cryptocurrency trader and analyst Daan Crypto Trades said it "makes sense" for ETH to test the support at $2,400.
"A sweep and back up likely leads to a local range being formed between $2,400-$2,700.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> $2.4K level will be pretty key. I think it makes sense to test that local support level. I don&#39;t have any interest in longs until some of these billions in Open Interest have been wiped out. Will reassess depending on how price reacts around that region. A sweep and back up… <a href="https://t.co/b4Oi07sO3E">pic.twitter.com/b4Oi07sO3E</a>
&mdash; Daan Crypto Trades (@DaanCrypto) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaanCrypto/status/1922913908114821397?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Price Action:&nbsp; At the time of writing, ETH was exchanging hands at $2,558.65, down 1.23% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. 
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45428552/peter-schiff-once-questioned-wisdom-of-hodling-ethereum-at-1200-since-then-the-second-largest-crypto-has-soared-116">Peter Schiff Once Questioned Wisdom Of HODLing Ethereum At $1,200 —Since Then, The Second-Largest Crypto Has Soared 116%</a></li>
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Image Via Shutterstock/VPLAB

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

Cryptocurrency

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$SOL

$XRP

Ethereum Leaves XRP, SOL In The Dust This Week — What's Going On?

Senate Democrats are demanding a federal investigation into whether President Donald Trump&#8216;s administration is aiding Elon Musk's company, SpaceX, to secure access to foreign markets. Their call comes as Musk announced at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum that Saudi Arabia has approved Starlink services for aviation and maritime use.
What Happened: In a letter issued Wednesday to Attorney General Pam Bondi, acting Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics Jamieson Greer, acting Inspector General of the State Department Arne Baker and White House ethics official Scott Gast, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) advocated for a probe into whether the administration is &#8220;intervening&#8221; to help Starlink as it &#8220;negotiates tariff agreements and other matters with foreign governments.&#8221;
The letter added: "…Mr. Musk may be using his official role and his proximity to the President as leverage for his own personal financial benefit &#8212; even if it comes at the expense of American consumers and the nation&#8217;s foreign policy interests."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/05/45428241/elon-musks-grok-ai-got-asked-how-many-times-has-hbo-changed-its-name-leaves-user-stunned-with-racially-charged-response">Elon Musk&#8217;s Grok AI Got Asked How Many Times Has HBO Changed Its Name, Leaves User Stunned With Racially Charged Response</a>
Why It Matters: Musk <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9Sdw9PxsqY">announced</a> Tuesday that Saudi Arabia has greenlit Starlink operations in the country's maritime and aviation sectors.
"I&#8217;d also like to thank the Kingdom for approving Starlink for maritime and aviation use," he said.&nbsp;
In their letter, the senators cited this announcement, as well as Starlink's swift expansion into countries like Bangladesh and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44268506/elon-musk-led-spacex-inks-agreements-with-indias-top-telecom-providers-expands-addressable-market-by-over-850-million-users">India</a>, where permissions were granted soon after interactions with Musk or during larger U.S. trade negotiations. They also referred to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/05/45316049/us-reportedly-pressures-tariff-hit-nations-to-approve-elon-musks-starlink-an-important-lubricant-that-facilitates-a-deal">recent reports</a> claiming that the U.S. has allegedly been coercing some countries hit by Trump's tariffs to authorize Starlink's services.
"Suggesting that a foreign government adopt Starlink in exchange for relief on tariffs appears to be a textbook case of corruption," they wrote, urging the Justice Department and the White House ethics office to launch an investigation.
This letter is the most recent addition to the series of calls raised by Democrats to probe into whether Elon Musk and his companies are receiving undue advantages on account of Musk's involvement with the Trump administration. Last month, Senate Democratic committee staffers published a report alleging that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45058801/elon-musks-doge-influence-could-help-his-companies-avoid-over-2-billion-in-potential-liabilities-senate-report">Musk may avoid more than $2 billion in financial liabilities</a> thanks to his influence within the U.S. government.
The White House and SpaceX did not immediately respond to Benzinga&#8217;s request for comment. 
Read Next: 
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Image Via Shutterstock

SPACE

As Elon Musk Secures Saudi Starlink Deal, Elizabeth Warren And Senate Democrats Demand Probe Into Possible Ethics Violations And Accuse Trump Administration Of Helping SpaceX Secure Foreign Deals

Networking and communications giant Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) is laying the groundwork to upend a core pillar of enterprise cybersecurity, that is, the humble firewall.
What Happened: During its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45422303/cisco-shares-climb-after-q3-eps-revenue-beat-estimates-details">third quarter earnings</a> call on Wednesday, the company signaled a radical shift in the architecture of its products by embedding security directly into the network infrastructure. 
Cisco's new HyperShield system, together with its latest smart network switch, shows the company is moving away from selling traditional firewall boxes. Instead, it's starting to build security features directly into the network itself, so threats can be blocked as data flows through, without needing any additional hardware.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/25/05/45429435/warren-buffett-explains-why-he-couldnt-deny-greg-abel-the-top-job-at-berkshire-hathaway-any-longer-hes-a-natural">Warren Buffett Explains Why He Couldn&#8217;t Deny Greg Abel The Top Job At Berkshire Hathaway Any Longer: &#8216;He&#8217;s A Natural&#8217;</a>
&#8220;The majority of our new HyperShield enterprise customers are bundling it with our new N9300 smart switch because of our unique ability to embed security directly into the fabric of the network,&#8221; said CEO Chuck Robbins.
Robbins cites a conversation with a Fortune 100 CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) for this move, who reportedly said, &#8220;If you can't define an architecture that has me removing every physical firewall from my infrastructure, then I don't want to talk to you,&#8221; while speaking with Cisco&#8217;s senior leadership.
Why It Matters: The removal of separate, physical firewall devices altogether has major implications for the cybersecurity industry, especially for legacy firewall vendors, a segment that is worth $22.87 billion in 2025, according <a href="https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/hardware-firewall-market">to</a> a report by Mordor Intelligence.
The company released its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45422303/cisco-shares-climb-after-q3-eps-revenue-beat-estimates-details">third quarter results</a> on Wednesday, reporting $14.15 billion in revenue, beating street estimates at $14.08 billion, with a profit of $0.96 per share, against consensus figures at $0.92.
Price Action: Cisco shares were down 0.79% on Wednesday, trading at $61.29, but are up 3.03% after hours, following the company&#8217;s earnings release. 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="136" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15040935/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-1.39.20-PM-1024x136.png" alt="" class="wp-image-916124" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15040935/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-1.39.20-PM-1024x136.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15040935/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-1.39.20-PM-300x40.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15040935/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-1.39.20-PM-768x102.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15040935/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-1.39.20-PM-1536x204.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15040935/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-1.39.20-PM.png 1614w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
The stock scores 81.12th percentile on momentum, but falls short on growth, value, and quality according to Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings. It also features a favorable price trend in the short, medium, and long term. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Let&#8217;s see</a> how it compares with peers. 
Read More: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/05/45427965/jim-cramer-says-even-safety-stocks-look-risky-warns-of-wild-card-in-washington-and-rising-treasury-yields-as-reasons-to-stay-away-from-sure-bets">Jim Cramer Says Even &#8216;Safety&#8217; Stocks Look Risky, Warns Of &#8216;Wild Card&#8217; In Washington And Rising Treasury Yields As Reasons To Stay Away From Sure Bets</a></li>
</ul>

Cisco Is Targeting A Multi-Billion-Dollar Security Shake-Up—And It Starts With Killing The Firewall

In a major move towards international expansion,&nbsp;Baidu Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>)&nbsp;is reportedly preparing to test its&nbsp;autonomous ride-hailing service in Europe. 
What Happened:&nbsp;The Beijing-based internet titan has been negotiating with PostAuto, a subsidiary of Swiss Post, to bring&nbsp;its Apollo Go robotaxi service&nbsp;to Switzerland.&nbsp;Baidu plans to establish a local entity in Switzerland in the coming months and begin technology testing by year-end, according to a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/baidu-eyes-european-debut-for-driverless-taxi-5276eea6">Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;report.
Baidu also plans to roll out Apollo Go in Turkey, broadening its competitive reach overseas as domestic competition grows. Chinese companies, including Baidu, are increasingly targeting foreign markets as the U.S. market becomes more challenging due to heightened scrutiny from Washington.
Competition is also growing in other markets such as&nbsp;the Middle East, Japan, Singapore&nbsp;and now Europe, as Chinese tech companies vie to establish their presence.
SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45426516/chuck-schumer-says-trump-is-letting-cartel-members-into-the-us-asks-how-much-memecoin-did-they-pay" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chuck Schumer Says Trump Is &#8216;Letting Cartel Members&#8217; Into The US, Asks How Much &#8216;Memecoin&#8217; Did They Pay &#8211; Benzinga</a>
Why It Matters:&nbsp;Baidu CEO Robin Li has previously told investors that 2025 will be a key year for the company's expansion. In a significant move in February, Baidu and EV battery giant CATL agreed to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/44017638/chinas-baidu-and-catl-team-up-to-build-next-gen-driverless-evs-integrating-advanced-battery-and-chassis-tech">collaborate </a>to explore the development of "competitive" driverless vehicles and innovative business models. 
Baidu&#8217;s plan to expand its self-driving fleet internationally reflects similar moves by several Chinese counterparts, such as WeRide, Pony.ai and Momenta, who collaborated with Uber (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) earlier this year to deploy their robotaxis within Uber's fleets in Europe and the Middle East. Meanwhile, Tesla Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) position continues to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45192200/teslas-european-woes-deepen-as-new-car-sales-for-april-plunge-in-spain-as-chinese-rivals-soar">weaken </a>in Europe.
Goldman Sachs analysts note that leading driverless car companies like Baidu, WeRide and Pony.ai have a competitive edge thanks to high technological entry barriers and their advanced algorithm development and extensive data crucial for large-scale deployment.
Nevertheless, some analysts believe robotaxi services may face regulatory hurdles in Europe, largely because of safety concerns. "It will take some time for safety trials to convince regulators," Kai Wang, a Morningstar analyst told WSJ.
The shares of Baidu rose 1.55% to close at $92.50 on Wednesday. On a year-to-date basis, the shares climbed 11.85%, as per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45418628/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-flat-as-traders-hope-for-altcoin-outperformance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Flat As Traders Hope For Altcoin Outperformance &#8211; Benzinga</a></li>
</ul>
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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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Tesla Rival Baidu Expands Apollo Go Robotaxi To Europe, Sets Sights On Turkey Amid Rising Competition: Report

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