Ultime notizie per  (NYSE:RSFrw) Azioni

Realty Income Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/O#NYSE">O</a>) has become something of a gold standard for investors who are chasing monthly income.
It's one of the few publicly traded companies with the guts, and the track record, to trademark its nickname: The Monthly Dividend Company&#xAE;. With more than 15,600 commercial properties and over 660 consecutive monthly dividend payments under its belt, Realty Income is a REIT investors turn to when they want predictable income, even in unpredictable markets.
But there's another perk Realty Income offers its shareholders that doesn't show up in the yield column, and many investors don't even realize they're benefiting from it.
It's called depreciation, and as most real estate investors know, it can be one of the most powerful tax advantages available.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Dividend Breakdown That Tells The Bigger Story</h2>
In 2024, Realty Income paid out $3.126 per share in dividends, more than 126% of its estimated taxable income. That may sound like a red flag at first, but it&#8217;s actually a feature of REIT taxation, not a flaw.
REITs are required to distribute at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders in exchange for avoiding corporate income tax. But "taxable income" and "cash flow" are two very different things.
Thanks to depreciation, a non-cash expense that reduces taxable income without reducing actual earnings, REITs like Realty Income can pay out more in dividends than they report in taxable income. When that happens, the portion of dividends that are greater than the taxable income are treated differently.
Here's how that played out for shareholders last year:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>$2.17598 per share was classified as ordinary income</li>
<li>$0.94952 per share was classified as a nontaxable distribution</li>
</ul>
That nontaxable portion isn't free money. It reduces the investor's cost basis in the stock, which can lead to higher capital gains taxes if and when the shares are sold. But for long-term holders, that trade-off can be more favorable than paying ordinary income tax every year on the full dividend amount.
In short: depreciation lets investors defer taxes today and potentially pay a lower rate later.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Realty Income Is A Favorite Among REIT Investors</h2>
Most investors are drawn to Realty Income for its reliable dividend and consistent growth.
Earlier this month, the company announced its 131st dividend increase since being listed on the NYSE, bumping the monthly payout from $0.2685 to $0.2690 per share. That may not sound like much, but when you compound reliable growth over decades, it adds up.
Despite ongoing challenges in the real estate market, analysts still see upside for the stock. Recent price targets from UBS, Scotiabank, and Wedbush suggest an average price target of $60.33, compared to the current price near $57.75. And that's on top of a 5.61% yield.
Realty Income isn't just a favorite among retail investors, it's also a sizable holding for several large institutional investors, like Vanguard Group Inc, BlackRock Inc. and State Street Corporation, which collectively hold nearly 300 million shares valued at over $17 billion.&nbsp;
But this isn't the only real estate play that's been gaining the attention of major Wall Street firms.&nbsp;
In 2024, there were more than $1.1 billion in securitizations for an asset class that has been flying under the radar until recently, and that number is expected to more than double this year.
This <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/wall-street-quietly-moved-into-a-34-trillion-market-now-accredited-investors-can-too">emerging asset class</a> lets investors capture the upside of rising home values with a built-in cushion if prices fall.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">There's Over $34 Trillion Trapped In This Corner Of The Real Estate Market</h2>
While Realty Income is built on commercial tenants like Walgreens, 7-Eleven, and FedEx, there's a parallel real estate market that may be even more compelling: owner-occupied home equity.
Americans have more than $34 trillion in equity tied up in their homes, a number that has more than tripled since 2013. And some of the biggest names on Wall Street have figured out how to tap into this growth.&nbsp;
The strategy involves something called <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/wall-street-quietly-moved-into-a-34-trillion-market-now-accredited-investors-can-too">Home Equity Agreements</a> (HEAs), and if you've never heard of this before it's because individual investors have been excluded from participating in this growing market. Until now anyway…
One of the first companies to begin operating in the home equity market recently launched a new fund available to individual accredited investors – <a href="https://nada.sjv.io/c/1193480/3013486/19981">U.S. Home Equity Fund I</a>. The fund is targeting a 14%-17% net IRR to investors with a strategy that can provide positive returns even in a market downturn.&nbsp;
<a href="https://nada.sjv.io/c/1193480/3013486/19981">See how investors are gaining access to this $34 trillion market and what sets this fund apart.&nbsp;</a>
Image: Shutterstock

Real Estate

How Realty Income Investors Are Benefiting From One Of Real Estate's Most Overlooked Tax Advantages

Wells Fargo's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WFC#NYSE">WFC</a>) short percent of float has fallen 8.4% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 38.81 million shares sold short, which is 1.2% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 3.11 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Wells Fargo Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750359631_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Wells Fargo has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Wells Fargo's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Wells Fargo's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 0.90%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

Trading Ideas

How Do Investors Really Feel About Wells Fargo?

Applied Industrial Techs's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIT#NYSE">AIT</a>) short percent of float has fallen 8.81% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 1.11 million shares sold short, which is 4.14% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 3.38 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Applied Industrial Techs Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750359626_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Applied Industrial Techs has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Applied Industrial Techs's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Applied Industrial Techs's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 5.54%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

What's Driving the Market Sentiment Around Applied Industrial Techs?

United Bankshares's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBSI#NYSE">UBSI</a>) short percent of float has fallen 13.38% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 3.13 million shares sold short, which is 2.59% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 5.55 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>United Bankshares Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750359621_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for United Bankshares has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing United Bankshares's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, United Bankshares's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 5.74%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

UBSI

How Do Investors Really Feel About United Bankshares?

In the current session, Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>) is trading at $229.00, after a 2.64% drop. Over the past month, the stock fell by 28.65%, and in the past year, by 26.67%. With performance like this, long-term shareholders are more likely to start looking into the company's price-to-earnings ratio. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750359618_0.png" alt="Past Year Chart" />

<h3>A Look at Lululemon Athletica P/E Relative to Its Competitors</h3>
The P/E ratio is used by long-term shareholders to assess the company's market performance against aggregate market data, historical earnings, and the industry at large. A lower P/E could indicate that shareholders do not expect the stock to perform better in the future or it could mean that the company is undervalued. 
Lululemon Athletica has a lower P/E than the aggregate P/E of 58.67 of the Textiles, Apparel &amp; Luxury Goods industry. Ideally, one might believe that the stock might perform worse than its peers, but it's also probable that the stock is undervalued. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750359618_1.png" alt="Guage" />

In summary, while the price-to-earnings ratio is a valuable tool for investors to evaluate a company's market performance, it should be used with caution. A low P/E ratio can be an indication of undervaluation, but it can also suggest weak growth prospects or financial instability. Moreover, the P/E ratio is just one of many metrics that investors should consider when making investment decisions, and it should be evaluated alongside other financial ratios, industry trends, and qualitative factors. By taking a comprehensive approach to analyzing a company's financial health, investors can make well-informed decisions that are more likely to lead to successful outcomes.

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LULU

P/E Ratio Insights for Lululemon Athletica

In an age of hot stock tips and perpetually changing fund strategies, the just-launched Rainwater Equity ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RW#NYSE">RW</a>) is taking a more subdued sort of confidence, one predicated on steady recurring revenue, consistent leadership, and the value of doing what has worked before.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/25/06/46005846/how-to-invest-in-fannie-maes-comeback-with-housing-focused-etfs">How To Invest In Fannie Mae&#8217;s Comeback With Housing-Focused ETFs</a>
Led by Joseph R. Shaposhnik, a veteran TCW portfolio manager with an impressive record, Rainwater is making a move against what it believes are the mutual fund industry&#8217;s greatest transgressions: over-diversification, style drift, and surprise tax charges. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs">The fund</a> comes with a cornerstone contribution from Bill Miller, the venerable investor who managed to beat the S&amp;P 500 for 15 consecutive years at Legg Mason.
With an expense ratio of 1.25%, the game plan of the fund is to acquire a closely held cluster of businesses whose customers continue to return. We&#8217;re referring to companies with subscription or contract-based models, software firms, trash haulers, auto part producers, and exchanges, that are apt to provide free cash flow as regularly as a clock. The portfolio will own only 20 to 30 such names, focusing on quality rather than quantity, and regularity rather than flash. 
In contrast with the index-hugging crowds, Rainwater&#8217;s approach is founded on holding onto high-conviction views for the long term, not playing follow-the-lead headlines for a quarter. Shaposhnik focuses on a low-turnover, tax-savvy strategy that&#8217;s half about compounding over time and half about not messing things up unnecessarily.
In addition to the portfolio building, the fund relies heavily on alignment — not only in principle but in practice. Shaposhnik has his own money in the ETF, and there are no performance fees or complicated overlays. Just a disciplined, concentrated approach with the long-term investor in mind.
And while the ETF space isn't exactly short on new entrants, Rainwater's lineage gives it added weight. It joins a growing list of firms launched by former TCW managers, following the footsteps of others who turned boutique spinouts into marquee franchises.
For fatigued financial advisers of style drift and tax theatrics, and for clients who prefer steady, compoundable growth to rollercoaster experiences, Rainwater&#8217;s strategy might seem like, a sip of fresh water.
Read Next: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/25/06/46001274/alibabas-high-speed-comeback-the-ai-commerce-cocktail-lifting-etf-hopes">Alibaba&#8217;s High-Speed Comeback: The AI-Commerce Cocktail Lifting ETF Hopes</a></li>
</ul>

New ETFs

Bill Miller-Backed Rainwater ETF Bets On Boring—And That's The Point

In 2025, cannabis isn't a gold rush. It's a grind.
Most stocks are down more than 90% from their highs. Capital is tight. Retail shelves are crowded with low-margin products. At this year's Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago, the optimism of earlier cycles gave way to something more sober: survival talk.
Two industry veterans, Rachel Wright, CPA and founder of Verdant Strategies and 420 CPA, and Seth Yakatan, founder of Katan Associates International, offered candid, unfiltered perspectives on what's really happening behind the scenes. Wright, one of the earliest CPAs to specialize in cannabis, works closely with operators navigating complex tax rules, compliance and expansion. Yakatan, a fixture in capital markets and early-stage investing, has guided dozens of companies through growth, collapse and realignment.
They're still standing. And they're not sugarcoating anything.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">From Chaos To Compliance: &#8216;We Actually Have Banking Now&#8217;</h2>
When Wright first started working in cannabis more than a decade ago, most businesses didn't have books — or if they did, they were a mess.
"We would have to essentially create books for people based on information that we had — POS systems, if they had a cash ledger, things like that," she said. "Fast forward a few years, now we actually do have banking… we also have real legit payroll companies that are supporting the industry."
The maturation of professional services, from accounting to legal support, is helping operators run cleaner, more efficient businesses. But Wright says success still hinges on who's in charge.
"Sometimes the founders need to step aside and hire the professionals," she said. "And let the professionals do what the professionals do."
Operational discipline isn't optional anymore. She cited price compression across all markets as one of the biggest threats, especially in newer states like New York, where companies don't get a long runway before margin pressure kicks in. "You have to learn how to operate a real business. Data is key. Cash is king. Managing that is really, really key."
Over the last 12 months, Wright says her firm helped save cannabis clients more than $50 million through tax amendments and audit work. And despite years of industry lobbying to eliminate Section 280E of the federal tax code, she doesn't see it as a death sentence.
"I think 280E is navigable," she said. "I don't see it as much of a problem — and not as much of a motivation to reschedule."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">&#8216;If The Government Gives, It's Going To Take Away&#8217;</h2>
That last point surprised many attendees. While most operators have called for federal rescheduling to fix 280E burdens, Wright takes a contrarian stance.
"I want to preserve the small and medium-sized businesses. We don't want 7-Elevens carrying cannabis," she said. "I like to preserve the culture — the people who've been in this industry for a long time."
For Wright, rescheduling isn't a guaranteed win. It's a trade-off.
"If the government gives, it's going to take away," she warned. "It's not going to give a free carrot to us at all. It's going to come with a price."
That price, in her view, could be new excise taxes that ultimately harm small businesses more than 280E ever did.
<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">"I want to preserve the small &amp; medium-sized businesses. We don't want 7-Elevens carrying cannabis" At <a href="https://twitter.com/Benzinga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Benzinga</a>'s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cannabis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cannabis</a> Capital Conference, Verdant Strategies CEO Rachel Wright explains why rescheduling could hurt the culture, innovation &amp; community that built the industry <a href="https://t.co/3rfqOE0LP5">pic.twitter.com/3rfqOE0LP5</a>
&mdash; Javier Hasse (@JavierHasse) <a href="https://twitter.com/JavierHasse/status/1935726805140308411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">&#8216;Don't Believe The Hype&#8217;: Yakatan On Capital, THCA And Europe</h2>
Seth Yakatan didn't mince words either.
"You're at a really tough spot in the industry," he said. "The models that were underwritten… haven't largely worked. Or some of them haven't worked."
For existing operators, his advice is simple: "Go in and dominate the markets you're in and hold serve."
For new investors? Proceed with caution.
"I'm telling them to analyze each macro state-level economy that they're looking at," he said. "Base your future investment judgment on historical survival performance."
When asked about hemp-derived THCA products, a booming but controversial segment, Yakatan was blunt:
"Don't believe the hype. Cannabis and hemp are not markets for tourists. Stay out if you're not in. And if you're in, you know what you know."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hype vs. Reality: Where The Smart Money's Looking</h2>
Yakatan says there's still opportunity, especially in private lower-middle market companies with functioning models, but it's no longer a race for scale.
"It's a game of pennies now," he said. "Pennies add up."
On the product side, he flagged one trend that's both overhyped and legitimate: infused pre-rolls. Brands like Jeter, Stiiizy and Aura are dominating SKU velocity, and two-gram disposable vapes are next.
"In markets where they're not [common], they're going to come," he said.
Wright echoed the importance of staying agile across geographies, product verticals and structure. Whether asset-light or asset-heavy, she said, the best strategy depends on the market.
"We need to evolve geographically, product, service offering, verticals," she said. "In some states, you might want to go asset-heavy. In others, you might want to go asset-light and just get your brand out."
Both Wright and Yakatan acknowledged the pull of international markets, especially Europe. Yakatan called Germany's rollout "part of the &#8216;soup du jour&#8217; in news cycles," and cautioned that many U.S. companies are using European hype to distract from domestic struggles.
"Seven of the 30 largest U.S. cannabis companies have a European operation story that's masking other issues inside the business," he said.
<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">&#x1f30d; "Europe is not the new gold rush—yet." At <a href="https://twitter.com/Benzinga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Benzinga</a>'s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cannabis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cannabis</a> Capital Conference, Seth Yakatan breaks down the reality behind the hype in European cannabis markets, and why smart capital still needs local insight and long-term patience. <a href="https://t.co/FgcCHr14oN">pic.twitter.com/FgcCHr14oN</a>
&mdash; Javier Hasse (@JavierHasse) <a href="https://twitter.com/JavierHasse/status/1935729748476334420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Wright, on the other hand, is already active in Europe and says her international tax background made it a natural next step.
"I was ecstatic," she said of cannabis expanding in Europe. "I started planting seeds, getting to know people — movers and shakers — that are already there."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Bottom Line: Run A Real Business</h2>
Wright and Yakatan may operate in different parts of the cannabis economy, but their core message is the same: survive by getting serious.
No shortcuts. No saviors. Just smart, lean, experienced leadership.
"Where I see people failing," said Wright, "is in efficiencies, staffing, leadership team, a full business plan… It's really just like running a business. It's the fundamentals at the end of the day."
Photo: Shutterstock

Cannabis

Eurozone

Exclusives

'Hold The Line Or Pivot Hard': Cannabis Industry Veterans Sound Off On Surviving 2025

At last week&#8217;s Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago, one of the most forward-looking conversations centered around a deceptively simple question: Is AI part of your strategy?
Moderated by Julie Valdes of Thompson Hine, the panel featured David Belsky (FlowerHire), Rocco Del Priore (Sweed), Kyle Castanon (Elevated Equipment Supply), David Fettner (Grow America) and David Peck (Headquarters). Across cultivation, HR, retail, finance and compliance, the group explored how AI is already reshaping operations across the cannabis supply chain—and where it might go next.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">AI Is Already Here (And So Is The Confusion)</h3>
While some operators still view artificial intelligence as a vague or futuristic concept, panelists were clear: AI is already making an impact.
&#8220;AI is not going to take your job,&#8221; said Castanon. &#8220;But the guy who knows AI is going to take your job.&#8221;
For cannabis companies, that means getting comfortable with the tools now. Castanon emphasized how his company&#8217;s cultivation clients are using AI to make crucial decisions in real time. For instance:
"We're really looking at about a quarter million lines of data for every harvest… there&#8217;s like a 2-day window of when you should be pruning your plants… if you don't hit that, you'll lose about 20% of your yields."
Fettner backed this up from a facility design perspective:
"AI will probably pick [up disease] 10 to 14 days sooner… and that eventually all goes to the bottom line and saves the harvest."
In other words, the tech isn't theoretical. It's practical. It's measurable. And it's being used today.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Data: The Weakest Link</h3>
Still, AI is only as good as the data it ingests. And for cannabis, that's a problem.
&#8220;The biggest challenge is the messy data across different systems,&#8221; said Peck. &#8220;AI can only work as well as the data that it has in the system.&#8221;
That sentiment was echoed across the panel. Disconnected POS, ERP and HR systems make implementation difficult. According to Del Priore:
"Right now, you have a bunch of systems that function like a car. You&#8217;re driving them. In the future, AI will do a lot of that work for you. But if you&#8217;re on the racetrack, do you want to be driving a self-driving Corolla or a self-driving Ferrari?"
Translation: You need both the horsepower and the data clarity to compete.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Retail And Marketing: Low-Hanging Fruit</h3>
While cultivation gets a lot of attention, retail may offer the easiest entry point.
Del Priore described a world of hyperpersonalized outreach: emails and messages that understand customer preferences and prompt them to act, automatically.
"There's a lot of smaller operators that don't have a marketing team… What happens when the AI starts to suggest those things for you and reduce it down to a click?"
AI-driven POS integrations can even predict what a customer is about to buy:
"From a customer perspective&#8230; there's always like this eureka moment that our customers have when AI pays off in a big way," said Castanon.
Peck highlighted another area: wholesale orders. His company has implemented AI substitution logic to help brands fill multi-store orders more efficiently:
"If Blue Dream is out of stock, it finds something similar with the same THC percentage… before, people were sort of losing those orders."
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">AI In HR: Talent Strategy Meets Automation</h3>
Belsky offered insight into how lean cannabis HR teams can deploy AI to extend their reach.
"There's tools now where the first interview for a job, especially an hourly job, is with one of these sorts of AI agents that sounds super personal and is responsive," he said.
These bots can ask and answer basic employee questions, flag learning gaps, and even conduct initial screens, freeing up time for hiring managers.
Peck added that strategic alignment is key:
"I think internally it should be the CEO [leading AI adoption] because it's such an important decision… You want the CEO to be really bought into that."
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Bottom Line: Don&#8217;t Wait</h3>
Every speaker stressed urgency. Whether it's internal policy development, data cleansing, or tool selection, companies must begin preparing now.
"In a few years, if you're not using some kind of AI tool, you're a dinosaur," said Castanon.
AI won't fix a broken business model. But it can sharpen strategy, reveal patterns, and supercharge productivity. And in an industry known for thin margins and constant change, that might be the difference between survival and extinction

AI Isn't Magic, But It Might Save Your Cannabis Business: Experts Explain Why

A recent caller to &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJiPBm2i-gY">The Ramsey Show</a>&#8221; shared how ongoing custody disputes with two former partners are draining both his bank account and mental health. The man, Tanner, told hosts Jade Warshaw and Dave Ramsey that legal costs now consume half of every paycheck.
&#8220;It's kind of taken over half of every one of my paychecks,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I'm trying to find the balance between trying to do what&#8217;s right for my kids and be financially responsible at the same time.&#8221;
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fighting To See His Kids</h2>
Tanner, now 30, had a son with his ex-wife when he was 22 and still in college. Later, he had a daughter with a girlfriend before graduating, who left during the pregnancy and hasn't allowed him to meet the child.
Though Tanner had a 50/50 custody agreement for his son, he said he hasn't seen him in over a year. His ex-wife and the ex-girlfriend have since become friends and have made legal proceedings more difficult.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve never met my daughter&#8230; and my son I haven&#8217;t seen in over a year,&#8221; he said.
Warshaw asked if there were any legitimate reasons for the women to keep the children from him. Tanner said no, claiming he has no history of substance abuse or violence. He acknowledged that the second woman had made abuse allegations, which he denied.
Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/wideradvisor-retirement-planning">Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation</a>.
Legal delays and complications have stretched the conflict for years. &#8220;I filed something immediately&#8230; we showed up to a hearing in May of last year,&#8221; Tanner explained. &#8220;It was 5:30 and the judge said, &#8216;Y'all go home, we'll schedule for another date.'&#8221;
To make matters worse, his attorney died last year.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ramsey&#8217;s Take</h2>
Ramsey came out swinging. He told Tanner the system had failed him, and his passive legal approach wasn't working.
&#8220;You need to get a lawyer that is much smarter and much meaner than the lawyer that you&#8217;ve had,&#8221; Ramsey said. &#8220;It&#8217;s way past time playing nice here.&#8221;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/are-you-rich">Are you rich?</a> Here&#8217;s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy.
He urged Tanner to go on the offensive: file multiple motions, pressure the courts, and create enough legal action to force progress.
&#8220;Sometimes the best defense is a good offense,&#8221; Ramsey said. &#8220;I want an attorney who&#8217;s filing like seven motions every morning just to piss everybody off, including the judge.&#8221;
Ramsey acknowledged how <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/05/45645846/64-year-old-retiree-is-expecting-a-baby-cant-work-and-has-no-money-dave-ramsey-admits-theres-not-a-good-answer-to-that-bad-situation">overwhelming the situation</a> had become.
&#8220;You&#8217;re burning all your calories on these issues,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You&#8217;re getting the runaround rather than giving the runaround.&#8221;&nbsp;
In closing, Ramsey gave Tanner two options: hire an aggressive attorney and fight hard, or walk away and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/management/25/06/45829894/lock-arms-and-write-a-pledge-in-blood-dave-ramsey-scolds-broke-couple-for-blowing-30k-on-solar-panels-youre-so-freaking-chaotic">face the consequences</a> later. Either way, he warned, the legal system is unforgiving.
&#8220;It sucks and it will drain you dry,&#8221; Ramsey said.
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Personal Finance

This Dave Ramsey Caller Is Spending Half His $78,000 Income On Legal Fees For Custody Battles With Two Women He Got Pregnant In College

Liberty Energy's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LBRT#NYSE">LBRT</a>) short percent of float has fallen 9.22% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 7.21 million shares sold short, which is 6.4% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.7 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Liberty Energy Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750356028_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Liberty Energy has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Liberty Energy's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Liberty Energy's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 9.10%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

LBRT

What's Driving the Market Sentiment Around Liberty Energy?

EMCOR Group's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EME#NYSE">EME</a>) short percent of float has fallen 9.47% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 1.27 million shares sold short, which is 3.73% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.97 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>EMCOR Group Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750356023_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for EMCOR Group has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing EMCOR Group's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, EMCOR Group's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 5.68%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Looking Into EMCOR Group's Recent Short Interest

Nutanix's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTNX#NYSE">NTNX</a>) short percent of float has fallen 3.02% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 6.65 million shares sold short, which is 2.89% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 1.87 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Nutanix Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750356018_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Nutanix has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Nutanix's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Nutanix's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 2.89%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

NTNX

What's Driving the Market Sentiment Around Nutanix?

In the current market session, Gen Digital Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GEN#NASDAQ">GEN</a>) stock price is at $29.19, after a 1.95% drop. However, over the past month, the company's stock spiked by 5.76%, and in the past year, by 21.22%. Shareholders might be interested in knowing whether the stock is overvalued, even if the company is not performing up to par in the current session. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750356018_0_0.png" alt="Past Year Chart" />

<h3>Gen Digital P/E Compared to Competitors</h3>
The P/E ratio measures the current share price to the company's EPS. It is used by long-term investors to analyze the company's current performance against it's past earnings, historical data and aggregate market data for the industry or the indices, such as S&amp;P 500. A higher P/E indicates that investors expect the company to perform better in the future, and the stock is probably overvalued, but not necessarily. It also could indicate that investors are willing to pay a higher share price currently, because they expect the company to perform better in the upcoming quarters. This leads investors to also remain optimistic about rising dividends in the future. 
Compared to the aggregate P/E ratio of the 98.29 in the Software industry, Gen Digital Inc. has a lower P/E ratio of 28.9. Shareholders might be inclined to think that the stock might perform worse than it's industry peers. It's also possible that the stock is undervalued. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1750356018_1.png" alt="Guage" />

In conclusion, the price-to-earnings ratio is a useful metric for analyzing a company's market performance, but it has its limitations. While a lower P/E can indicate that a company is undervalued, it can also suggest that shareholders do not expect future growth. Additionally, the P/E ratio should not be used in isolation, as other factors such as industry trends and business cycles can also impact a company's stock price. Therefore, investors should use the P/E ratio in conjunction with other financial metrics and qualitative analysis to make informed investment decisions.

A Look Into Gen Digital Inc's Price Over Earnings

A sprawling trove of over 16 billion login credentials tied to platforms like Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), and Facebook (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) has surfaced online, marking one of the most extensive exposures of personal data in history, according to cybersecurity researchers tracking infostealer activity.
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered 30 massive data collections this year alone, each containing tens of millions to over 3.5 billion user credentials, Cybernews <a href="https://cybernews.com/security/billions-credentials-exposed-infostealers-data-leak/">reported</a>.
These previously unreported datasets were briefly accessible through misconfigured cloud storage or Elasticsearch instances, giving the researchers just enough time to detect them, though not enough to trace their origin.
The findings paint a troubling picture of how widespread and organized credential leaks have become, with login information originating from malware known as infostealers. 
These malicious programs siphon usernames, passwords, and session data from infected machines, usually structured as a combination of a URL, username, and password.
The leaked credentials span a wide range of services from tech giants like Apple, Facebook, and Google, to platforms such as GitHub, Telegram, and various government portals. 
Some datasets were explicitly labeled to suggest their source, such as &#8220;Telegram&#8221; or a reference to the Russian Federation. 
Others bore generic names like &#8220;logins&#8221; or &#8220;credentials.&#8221;
Researchers say these leaks are not just a case of old data resurfacing. 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/06/46016270/utila-integrates-chorus-one-for-institutional-staking-on-ethereum-solana">Utila Integrates Chorus One For Institutional Staking On Ethereum, Solana</a>
Many of the records appear recent and structured in ways that make them especially useful for cybercriminals looking to run phishing campaigns, hijack accounts, or compromise corporate systems lacking multi-factor authentication.
What's more alarming is the scale: while it's impossible to determine how many unique individuals are affected due to overlapping records, the average dataset uncovered held 550 million records. 
One dataset alone contained more than 3.5 billion records, with another 455 million believed to originate from Russian sources.
Although some of these datasets may have been compiled by security researchers monitoring dark web activity, experts believe a significant portion is controlled by threat actors. 
Cybercriminals value such databases for their ability to scale up attacks, even a fraction-of-a-percent success rate could impact millions.
The incident underscores a critical weakness in digital security: even if your system is secure, your credentials may already be circulating due to past breaches or infostealer infections. With companies tightening access to search APIs and data channels, datasets like these grow more valuable and dangerous.
Users are advised to practice strong cybersecurity hygiene, using complex, regularly changed passwords and scanning systems for malware, as a frontline defense against these kinds of mass credential exposures.
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Image: Shutterstock

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Cryptocurrency

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Apple, Google and Facebook Among Services Exposed In Massive Leak of More Than 16 Billion Login Records

In September 2024, Aurora Cannabis Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACB#NASDAQ">ACB</a>) launched a CBD lozenge in collaboration with Vectura Fertin Pharma (now Aspeya, Inc.), a pharmaceutical firm owned by Philip Morris International (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PM#NYSE">PM</a>). The dissolvable product, branded Luo, debuted on Aurora&#8217;s medical platform in Canada.
To some observers, it looked like a stealth alignment between cannabis and Big Tobacco. But according to Aurora CEO Miguel Martin, the story is more nuanced.
"Our relationship really is with Vectura Fertin," said Martin, noting the company now goes by the name Aspeya. "It's a broader health and wellness company, and it's really not so much with PMI, even though they have their own connection."
Aurora's strategy, he says, is grounded in medical science, not brand crossovers.
"We have always had a very conservative, pharmaceutically minded approach," Martin told <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/cannabis">Benzinga</a>. "To be able to partner with someone with [Vectura's] history, and particularly the technology they were bringing to ingestible cannabinoids, was exciting for us."
The companies launched the Luo lozenge in Canada as a physician-authorized product for patients seeking controlled CBD delivery. Aurora handles distribution through its direct-to-patient ecommerce platform. Martin said the partnership has been well-received and could expand in the future.
"This is really about learning and understanding… how that kind of science-based, medical approach is received. And it's been very well received," he said. "Our patients have enjoyed them. Hopefully, there's opportunity for other brand extensions."
Also read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/25/05/45386052/worlds-largest-tobacco-company-is-investing-in-medical-cannabis-heres-what-to-know">World&#8217;s Largest Tobacco Company Is Investing In Medical Cannabis: Here&#8217;s What To Know</a>
When asked whether this represented a deeper alignment with legacy industries, Martin was clear:
"Right now, it's about partnering and working with thoughtful, science-based, medically oriented companies," he said.
Aurora has similar relationships with prescribers, wholesalers and pharmaceutical partners across markets like Germany, Australia and the UK.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">A Pharma-First Cannabis Strategy</h3>
The Luo lozenge deal, combined with Aurora's global medical push and Canada-first manufacturing strategy, fits into a broader vision Martin has reinforced consistently: that cannabis should follow pharmaceutical norms—from delivery methods to regulatory rigor.
Also read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/02/43666635/zyn-changed-nicotine-forever-are-cannabis-pouches-the-next-big-thing">Zyn Changed Nicotine Forever &#8211; Are Cannabis Pouches The Next Big Thing?</a>
"We're experts in medical cannabis," he said. "That's where all of our profitability comes from. If a partnership helps us improve patient outcomes and deliver consistency, we're open to it."
For now, that means dissolvable CBD lozenges backed by pharma-grade R&amp;D. Whether future deals bring Aurora closer to companies like PMI remains to be seen. But Martin insists the priority is patients, not optics.
"If it wasn't additive or accretive to our financials, we wouldn't do it," he said. "We don't chase headlines—we build around what works."
Photo: Shutterstock

Interview

EXCLUSIVE: Aurora Cannabis CEO Responds To Big Tobacco Concerns — It's Not That Kind Of Partnership

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Consumer Discretionary sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$320.00</td>
<td>$492.7K</td>
<td>14.3K</td>
<td>110.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMZN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/27/25</td>
<td>$212.50</td>
<td>$95.4K</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
<td>3.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DKNG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$45.00</td>
<td>$331.5K</td>
<td>19.4K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NIO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$3.00</td>
<td>$43.0K</td>
<td>15.8K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GME</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$23.00</td>
<td>$49.4K</td>
<td>5.3K</td>
<td>791</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WRD</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>10/17/25</td>
<td>$12.50</td>
<td>$27.5K</td>
<td>5.0K</td>
<td>51</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BKNG</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$5220.00</td>
<td>$26.6K</td>
<td>31</td>
<td>43</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>URBN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$45.00</td>
<td>$72.7K</td>
<td>100</td>
<td>28</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 1471 contract(s) at a $320.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 43 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $492.7K, with a price of $335.0 per contract. There were 14390 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 110048 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AMZN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 8 day(s) on June 27, 2025. Parties traded 303 contract(s) at a $212.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $95.4K, with a price of $319.0 per contract. There were 2202 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3688 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For DKNG (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DKNG#NASDAQ">DKNG</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 57 day(s) on August 15, 2025. This event was a transfer of 2646 contract(s) at a $45.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $331.5K, with a price of $125.0 per contract. There were 19488 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2680 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NIO (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NIO#NYSE">NIO</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1000 contract(s) at a $3.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $43.0K, with a price of $43.0 per contract. There were 15874 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1473 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For GME (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 57 day(s) on August 15, 2025. This event was a transfer of 166 contract(s) at a $23.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $49.4K, with a price of $298.0 per contract. There were 5312 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 791 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding WRD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WRD#NASDAQ">WRD</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 120 day(s) on October 17, 2025. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $12.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.5K, with a price of $550.0 per contract. There were 5040 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 51 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding BKNG (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKNG#NASDAQ">BKNG</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 19 contract(s) at a $5220.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.6K, with a price of $1400.0 per contract. There were 31 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 43 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For URBN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/URBN#NASDAQ">URBN</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 211 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 27 contract(s) at a $45.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 27 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $72.7K, with a price of $2696.0 per contract. There were 100 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 28 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

AMZN

BKNG

DKNG

TSLA

URBN

8 Consumer Discretionary Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Financials sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>COIN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$65.5K</td>
<td>16.3K</td>
<td>63.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HOOD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$96.5K</td>
<td>25.6K</td>
<td>8.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>V</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$340.00</td>
<td>$49.9K</td>
<td>5.0K</td>
<td>6.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NTRS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$28.0K</td>
<td>16.8K</td>
<td>5.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DFDV</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$2.50</td>
<td>$713.3K</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>UPST</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/27/25</td>
<td>$57.00</td>
<td>$58.5K</td>
<td>255</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JPM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$325.00</td>
<td>$55.3K</td>
<td>721</td>
<td>564</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FUTU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$48.9K</td>
<td>803</td>
<td>279</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$590.00</td>
<td>$62.8K</td>
<td>559</td>
<td>274</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TIPT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$30.0K</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
<td>266</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding COIN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 115 contract(s) at a $300.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $65.5K, with a price of $570.0 per contract. There were 16378 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 63547 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding HOOD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 29 day(s) on July 18, 2025. Parties traded 193 contract(s) at a $80.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $96.5K, with a price of $500.0 per contract. There were 25659 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 8951 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For V (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 105 contract(s) at a $340.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 11 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $49.9K, with a price of $480.0 per contract. There were 5011 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6080 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding NTRS (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTRS#NASDAQ">NTRS</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 29 day(s) on July 18, 2025. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.0K, with a price of $560.0 per contract. There were 16851 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5024 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DFDV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DFDV#NASDAQ">DFDV</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 241 contract(s) at a $2.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $713.3K, with a price of $2960.0 per contract. There were 1 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1610 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For UPST (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPST#NASDAQ">UPST</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 8 day(s) on June 27, 2025. This event was a transfer of 150 contract(s) at a $57.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $58.5K, with a price of $390.0 per contract. There were 255 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1217 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding JPM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JPM#NYSE">JPM</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 92 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 499 contract(s) at a $325.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $55.3K, with a price of $111.0 per contract. There were 721 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 564 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding FUTU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FUTU#NASDAQ">FUTU</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 57 day(s) on August 15, 2025. Parties traded 160 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $48.9K, with a price of $306.0 per contract. There were 803 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 279 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 57 day(s) on August 15, 2025. This event was a transfer of 11 contract(s) at a $590.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $62.8K, with a price of $5710.0 per contract. There were 559 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 274 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TIPT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TIPT#NASDAQ">TIPT</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 92 day(s) on September 19, 2025. This event was a transfer of 250 contract(s) at a $25.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.0K, with a price of $120.0 per contract. There were 2377 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 266 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

COIN

DFDV

FUTU

HOOD

NTRS

TIPT

UPST

10 Financials Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$145.00</td>
<td>$35.4K</td>
<td>129.0K</td>
<td>135.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MRVL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$49.7K</td>
<td>26.7K</td>
<td>35.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$138.00</td>
<td>$37.4K</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
<td>8.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$370.00</td>
<td>$68.8K</td>
<td>2.9K</td>
<td>8.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$21.00</td>
<td>$51.2K</td>
<td>14.9K</td>
<td>3.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRDO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$68.9K</td>
<td>3.2K</td>
<td>2.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$42.0K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/27/25</td>
<td>$490.00</td>
<td>$40.8K</td>
<td>3.8K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$210.00</td>
<td>$101.2K</td>
<td>7.6K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRWV</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$162.50</td>
<td>$51.4K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>892</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 286 contract(s) at a $145.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.4K, with a price of $124.0 per contract. There were 129086 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 135442 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MRVL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVL#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 425 contract(s) at a $75.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $49.7K, with a price of $117.0 per contract. There were 26741 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 35376 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 129 contract(s) at a $138.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.4K, with a price of $290.0 per contract. There were 4031 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 8183 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 118 contract(s) at a $370.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $68.8K, with a price of $585.0 per contract. There were 2988 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 8101 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 57 day(s) on August 15, 2025. This event was a transfer of 250 contract(s) at a $21.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $51.2K, with a price of $205.0 per contract. There were 14951 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3377 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CRDO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRDO#NASDAQ">CRDO</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 29 day(s) on July 18, 2025. Parties traded 70 contract(s) at a $80.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $68.9K, with a price of $985.0 per contract. There were 3296 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2812 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For APP (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 168 contract(s) at a $350.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 12 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $42.0K, with a price of $250.0 per contract. There were 1651 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1929 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 8 day(s) on June 27, 2025. Parties traded 340 contract(s) at a $490.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 21 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $40.8K, with a price of $120.0 per contract. There were 3811 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1916 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 250 contract(s) at a $210.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $101.2K, with a price of $405.0 per contract. There were 7623 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1649 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CRWV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWV#NASDAQ">CRWV</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 53 contract(s) at a $162.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $51.4K, with a price of $970.0 per contract. There were 1211 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 892 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

CRDO

CRWV

INTC

MRVL

MSFT

MSTR

NVDA

PLTR

10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

Pradnya Desh, the founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/05/45229632/supio-raises-60m-series-b-with-backing-from-thomson-reuters-ventures-sapphire-ventures-and-mayfield-to-accelerate-ai-adoption-in-legal-industry">legal</a> tech startup Advocat, is entering politics with a bid for Bellevue City Council in Washington state, hoping to bring her tech-rooted problem-solving mindset to local government. Desh, a former U.S. diplomat and attorney, <a href="https://www.electdesh.com/">says</a> she believes that the public sector can benefit from the iterative, builder-style approach that drives startups forward.
According to <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/if-somethings-broken-you-solve-it-why-this-startup-founder-is-running-for-bellevue-city-council/">GeekWire</a>, her platform focuses on improving housing, transportation, social equity, and public safety, with a heavy emphasis on building Bellevue into a leading hub for startups and innovation.
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<li>Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-peter-thiel-turned-his-roth-ira-into-5-billion-and-why-accredited-investors-are-now-eyeing-this-smartphone-disruptor">invest with $1,000 at just $0.30/share.</a></li>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bellevue's Startup Ecosystem Gets A Tech Insider Candidate</h2>
Desh launched Advocat to provide AI-powered legal tools to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/04/44868492/art-of-the-steal-ross-gerber-says-small-businesses-get-to-go-bankrupt-while-trump-makes-exceptions-for-mag-7-chinese-imports">small businesses</a> priced out of traditional services. Now she's applying the same logic to civic challenges, advocating for smarter processes and more efficient systems, GeekWire reports.
"I want to bring a founder's mindset to government, the kind of thinking that we've used to solve problems," Desh told GeekWire. "Because in tech, if something's broken you don't just wait, you have to solve it. We study a problem, we build, we talk to users, we iterate, and we constantly make it better. And that is missing from government."
She is running against incumbent Councilmember Jared Nieuwenhuis for one of five open seats on the seven-member council, GeekWire says. According to her website, Desh has already secured endorsements from the King County Democrats, 41st Democrats, and several other local leaders.
Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/wideradvisor-retirement-planning">Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation</a>.
As a trustee of Bellevue College and a mother of three, Desh told GeekWire that her commitment to the region is both professional and personal. &#8220;I want to see what I can do to help Bellevue now,&#8221; she said.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Big Tech Has Moved In But Infrastructure Still Trails Behind</h2>
Bellevue has become a magnet for major tech companies including Amazon (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Meta (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), Zoom (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZM#NASDAQ">ZM</a>), Shopify (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHOP#NASDAQ">SHOP</a>), Shein, TikTok parent ByteDance, and Snowflake (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>), all of which have opened offices in the city. Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) also had a significant presence in the area in previous years, GeekWire reports.
Desh believes the city needs to act faster to keep up with the pace of innovation. "We have a lot of the dots, but they're not all connected," she told GeekWire, referring to the region's fragmented approach to infrastructure and economic development.
Desh envisions a more coordinated tech ecosystem that includes better transportation, more affordable housing, and deeper partnerships between local government, founders, and investors, according to her website.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/are-you-rich">Are you rich?</a> Here&#8217;s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Desh Wants To Help Washington Rival The Bay Area For Startups</h2>
One of Desh's concerns is the recent push for new business taxes in Washington state, which she told GeekWire could drive innovation elsewhere. "We need to solve it in a different way," Desh said, expressing her frustration with policies that she believes contradict efforts to make Washington more attractive to startups.
She told GeekWire she sees her City Council campaign as a launchpad for broader impact, potentially leading to future roles at higher levels of government. For now, she's focused on Bellevue, a city she believes is uniquely positioned to set the tone for tech-centered growth across the Pacific Northwest.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/gbr-savings-by-age">If You're Age 35, 50, or 60: Here&#8217;s How Much You Should Have Saved Vs. Invested By Now</a>
Image: Shutterstock

SHOP

SNOW

Startup Founder Behind Advocat AI Says 'We Have A Lot Of The Dots, But They're Not All Connected' As She Runs For Bellevue City Council

Tim Chen, Global Head of Strategy at Mantle (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">MNT</a>), addressed retail investors' concerns about fragmented liquidity and gas fee confusion in Layer 2 (L2) ecosystems, emphasizing their growing importance.
In an interview with Benzinga, Chen likened L2s to retailers serving niche markets, arguing they are vital for scaling Ethereum's (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) capabilities but must find meaningful product-market fit to overcome current challenges.
"Think of it as like if Ethereum were wholesalers," said Chen. "You need retailers to go into every nook and cranny, serve every niche." But he cautioned, "The infighting happens when there is not enough activity… when the L2s have no product-market fit."
He acknowledged that infighting among L2s stems from insufficient activity and lack of demand, stating, "The infighting happens when there is not enough activity. The infighting happens when the L2s have no product market fit."
To illustrate, Chen compared poorly positioned L2s to "a retailer trying to sell winter coats in the Caribbean," highlighting the need for demand-driven solutions. 
He cited Mantle's UR Bank, a crypto neobank, as an example of an L2 application driving real-world transactions, noting, "if we can have UR Bank as a global product, and that's processing millions of transactions a day that's being settled on the mantle L2, then passed back to L1 mainnet is being secured there, then the economics will start working, right?"
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/06/46001429/this-crypto-firm-is-buying-1000-bitcoins-heres-why-it-could-change-everything">This Crypto Firm Is Buying 1,000 Bitcoins: Here&#8217;s Why It Could Change Everything</a>
Chen stressed that L2 ecosystems can resolve retail hesitations by creating products with tangible demand, such as Mantle's infrastructure, which supports $4 billion in treasury assets and $3-4 billion in total value locked on its Mantle Network. 
"I think those concerns are well founded, but can be mitigated once these L2s and ecosystems actually create a product with enough meaningful demand and transaction bumps," he added.
Chen's vision underscores L2s' role in onboarding the next billion users, particularly in emerging markets, by simplifying access through user-friendly interfaces like UR Bank.
As L2 competition intensifies, Chen believes differentiation lies in solving real-world problems, not just technical scalability. 
"That's why for us we're trying to find new product market fit in the real world as opposed to just on chain," he said.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/06/46001184/as-us-pushes-fiat-backed-stablecoins-with-genius-act-maitrix-debuts-ai-native-alternative-for-decentralized-economies">As US Pushes Fiat-Backed Stablecoins With GENIUS Act, MAITRIX Debuts AI-Native Alternative For Decentralized Economies</a>
Image: Shutterstock/whiteMocca

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