Why Is Wall Street Obsessed With AI (Artificial Intelligence) Leader Nvidia?
Nvidia has become one of the biggest success stories in investing.
The company's brilliant moves will help it prosper for years to come.
10 stocks we like better than Nvidia ›
There's no two ways about it. Investors across the depth and breadth of Wall Street are absolutely captivated by Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). The chipmaker is a frequent topic of discussion among financial programming anchors and analysts alike. There's more. Of the 66 analysts who offered an opinion in July, 88% say it's a buy or strong buy, and none recommend selling.
There are plenty of reasons Wall Street is obsessed. Let's look at a few of those reasons and what they mean for investors.
Paint by numbers
Nvidia was already one of the world's most successful chip companies, a leading provider of graphics processing units (GPUs) that bring video games to life. Furthermore, Nvidia developed CUDA, a library of software tools that helps developers harness the raw, number-crunching power of GPUs for computationally intensive applications. This enabled data scientists and researchers to develop speedier algorithms, spurring the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.
That pivot to AI has led to eye-popping financial gains. For two successive years, Nvidia generated triple-digit year-over-year revenue and profit growth. At the same time, the stock price surged 638%, adding $3 trillion to its market cap. Since then, its growth has slowed but remains impressive nonetheless. In the company's fiscal 2026 first quarter (ended April 27), revenue of $44 billion jumped 69% year over year, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS) climbed 33%.
Great news for investors
As impressive as these results are, Nvidia's growth story is far from over, which is great news for investors. Sales of Nvidia's next-generation Blackwell AI-centric chips have recently started to ramp up, and CEO Jensen Huang is lobbying world leaders to develop their own sovereign AI programs. Furthermore, the chief executive's efforts in Washington, D.C., appear to be paying off, as the Trump administration is poised to approve the resumption of H20 chip sales to China, according to Huang.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives says it's "still the first inning for AI," which suggests there's much more opportunity ahead.
That's why Wall Street is obsessed with Nvidia, and investors should be, too.
Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?
Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Nvidia wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $652,133!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,056,790!*
Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,048% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
18 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Nasdaq Q2 Revenue Jumps 13 Percent
Key Points - Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ) beat both GAAP revenue and non-GAAP earnings expectations in Q2 2025, posting double-digit growth in recurring revenues and non-GAAP operating income. - Record results in Market Services and robust client demand in both Financial Technology and Capital Access Platforms were key strengths this period. - The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.27 per share in Q2 2025, updated its 2025 non-GAAP operating expense guidance to a range of $2,295 million to $2,335 million, and maintained its 2025 non-GAAP tax rate guidance, while highlighting increased investment costs and regulatory-driven sales cycle delays. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ), a global technology company powering capital markets and financial services, reported its Q2 2025 results on July 24, 2025. The company delivered GAAP revenue of $1.31 billion and non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of $0.85, both surpassing consensus estimates of $1.28 billion and $0.81, respectively. Recurring revenue grew 9% and operating income (non-GAAP) grew at a double-digit rate, driven by strong client demand and innovations across both its Financial Technology and Capital Access Platforms. Overall, the quarter showed operational progress, though rising costs and lengthening sales cycles in regulatory technology signal areas to watch going forward. Source: Analyst estimates for the quarter provided by FactSet. Business Overview and Focus Areas Nasdaq operates at the intersection of technology and finance. It is best known for running the Nasdaq Stock Market, but its reach extends to providing trading, data, software, and analytics to financial institutions and corporations worldwide. Nasdaq manages and provides its products and services through three business segments: Capital Access Platforms, Financial Technology, and Market Services. The stack of offerings ranges from traditional exchange listing and trading to modern SaaS (software-as-a-service) platforms that help banks and corporates manage everything from regulatory compliance to market analytics and risk surveillance. Over the past few years, the company emphasized steady recurring revenue, cloud and AI innovation, and international expansion. Recent strategic focus includes deepening cloud integration, boosting cross-selling after its Adenza acquisition, and increasing the share of SaaS in its recurring revenue streams. Key drivers of success remain technology leadership, robust regulatory compliance capabilities, and the ability to attract new clients through innovation and trusted infrastructure. Quarter Review: Results, Product Momentum, and Segment Detail The second quarter saw Nasdaq achieve broad-based growth and notable outperformance across its main business lines. Revenue and Profits: The revenue figure of $1.31 billion (GAAP) represented a 13% jump over the same period last year. Non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.85, up 24% over the prior year, while operating income grew by 16%. Non-GAAP operating margin also edged higher, from 53% to 55%. This indicates that the company achieved greater efficiency, even as it invested in new technology and talent. Solutions Segment: Solutions revenue—which covers both Capital Access Platforms and Financial Technology—grew 10% year-over-year, with both core sub-segments making strong contributions. Financial Technology: This segment includes cloud-based risk, compliance, and trading solutions. It recorded 10% growth in revenue, with annualized recurring revenue (ARR) for Financial Technology growing 12% year-over-year. Regulatory Technology made progress with a new large client and several upsells, but did note extended sales cycles due to shifting U.S. regulatory timelines. Capital Access Platforms: This product line includes listing-related data, workflow, and index solutions. It posted 9% organic revenue growth, driven by a 17% rise in Index revenue. Net inflows into Nasdaq-linked exchange-traded products (ETPs) totaled $20 billion, and the number of ETPs tracking the company's indices increased sharply. Market Services: This unit, which comprises trading platforms and associated services, delivered a record $306 million in net revenue, an increase of 22%. Volumes across U.S. equities and derivatives hit all-time highs, and the company reported its 46th straight quarter of leadership in IPO listings, with 38 new operating company IPOs raising more than $3.5 billion. Market share for U.S.-listed securities, combining on- and off-exchange activity, hit 61.6%, up from 59.0% in Q2 2024. Recurring Revenue and SaaS Growth: Annualized recurring revenue reached $2.93 billion, which is 10% above the prior year. Of this, 37% now comes from SaaS products. Expenses and Margins: Operating expenses on a non-GAAP basis rose 9%, largely reflecting increased investments in technology and people. But with revenues advancing even faster in some segments, non-GAAP margins still improved. Product and Innovation: Technological innovation was a central theme this quarter. Nasdaq Verafin's 'Agentic AI' digital workers, now in beta, promise to automate compliance reviews and lower client workload. The company also expanded its partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) for cloud-based market infrastructure. Recent technology wins include managed marketplace deployments and cloud-based platform launches for clients in Latin America. Capital Strategy and Shareholder Returns: The company continued to emphasize a focus on organic growth and deleveraging after the large 2023 Adenza acquisition. During the quarter, it returned $155 million to shareholders via dividends and $100 million through stock buybacks, and repaid $400 million of debt. Management reaffirmed its goal of more than $100 million in annual run-rate cross-sell revenue by the end of 2027. Dividend Update: The company raised its quarterly dividend by 13% to $0.27 per share, continuing its trend of regular increases. Looking Ahead: Management Outlook and Watch Items Management maintained non-GAAP operating expense guidance, now at $2.295–$2.335 billion for FY2025, reflecting minor foreign exchange effects but otherwise an unchanged outlook. Non-GAAP tax rate guidance for 2025 remains at 22.5%–24.5%. No change was announced to medium-term revenue growth targets in any segment for FY2025, with leaders expressing confidence in the current sales pipeline, especially for Financial Technology products. No explicit top-line or EPS guidance was shared for the full year. Delays in regulatory technology sales cycles, driven by shifting U.S. regulatory timelines, present a risk to growth. Intensifying competition from both established exchanges and new entrants—like the Texas Stock Exchange—remains on the radar for listings market share. Overall, Nasdaq credited broad client engagement, cloud and AI innovation, and a stable recurring revenue base as tailwinds for future performance. Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted. Where to invest $1,000 right now When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,037%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. They just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025
Globe and Mail
18 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
IBM Boosts Forecast on AI and Red Hat
International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) reported 2Q 2025 earnings on July 23, 2025, delivering $17 billion in revenue and $4.8 billion in first-half free cash flow, driven by standout software and infrastructure gains. The company raised its full-year free cash flow outlook to above $13.5 billion and affirmed revenue growth guidance above 5%, supported by double-digit Red Hat growth, robust automation, and surging AI-related bookings. Key insights below highlight IBM's accelerating software momentum, transformation in productivity, and expanding AI footprint. Red Hat and automation fuel IBM software acceleration Red Hat contributed 3.5 percentage points of organic software growth, while automation grew 15% in the first half of 2025, and HashiCorp delivered a strong initial performance following its acquisition. OpenShift achieved $1.7 billion in annual recurring revenue (ARR), and Red Hat's virtualization pipeline grew by over $300 million in total bookings through the first three quarters. "OpenShift growing revenue more than 20% with ARR now at $1.7 billion. Automation grew 14%, with HashiCorp off to a strong start … We accelerated our Red Hat performance first quarter, second quarter by an incremental point, now growing about 14.5% … our pipeline in the second half is 3x last year across our entire automation portfolio with regards to HashiCorp." -- Jim Kavanaugh, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer This sustained outperformance in hybrid cloud and automation positions IBM to deliver near-double-digit software revenue growth for FY2025 at constant currency, non-GAAP, driving a favorable long-term revenue mix shift and expanding recurring revenue base. IBM productivity transformation expands margins and financial flexibility IBM expanded its operating gross profit margin by 230 basis points, reflecting disciplined execution and productivity initiatives including embedding AI into workflows and optimizing the supply chain by moving distributed infrastructure manufacturing to a strategic partner. IBM exited 2024 with $3.5 billion in annual run rate savings and now expects to reach $4.5 billion by the end of 2025, fueling further margin expansion and cash flow conversion. "We are taking up the year on our productivity initiatives. We exited last year, we talked about $3.5 billion of productivity that we've been able to fundamentally drive out of this business … that's given us guidance and confidence to raise that to $4.5 billion. That flows to operating margin. We're taking our operating margins up from a half a point to now roughly a point … and then we're flowing that all the way down through the cash flow. High quality, sustainable cash flow generation." -- Jim Kavanaugh, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Escalating productivity-driven savings provide IBM with headroom for strategic M&A and ongoing innovation investment. AI portfolio and ecosystem drive differentiated growth at scale IBM's cumulative Gen AI book of business surpassed $7.5 billion since inception, with AI now surpassing 10% of consulting revenue at a more than three-point margin premium compared to non-AI work. Over 150 prebuilt agents and deep partnerships with Oracle, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Salesforce, and others are embedding Watson x solutions across customer workflows, while unique offerings like Code Assistant for z and the newly launched z17 mainframe further strengthen IBM's competitive position in scalable enterprise AI. "Our Gen AI book of business now stands at over $7.5 billion inception to date, with momentum accelerating quarter over quarter. We are seeing strong demand for our AI agents and assistants, REL AI, Granite Models, as well as an accelerating need for our consulting services to deploy AI. Just last week, IBM was recognized as an emerging leader in the first-ever Gartner emerging market quadrant for Gen AI consulting and implementation services." -- Arvind Krishna, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer IBM's leadership in enterprise-scale AI and its partner ecosystem create a powerful flywheel effect, deepening client engagement and underpinning the company's long-term secular growth thesis in AI-powered automation and hybrid cloud environments. Looking Ahead For the full year, IBM reaffirmed constant currency revenue growth of 5% plus (non-GAAP) and raised free cash flow guidance above $13.5 billion. Management expects software to approach double-digit revenue growth, with Red Hat growth in the mid-teens and low-single-digit gains in transaction processing are expected as the z17 mainframe cycle accelerates. Operating pre-tax margin is now expected to expand by about one point for the full year, and IBM is comfortable with consensus expectations for revenue and profit. Where to invest $1,000 right now When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,037%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. They just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 JesterAI is a Foolish AI, based on a variety of Large Language Models (LLMs) and proprietary Motley Fool systems. All articles published by JesterAI are reviewed by our editorial team, and The Motley Fool takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this article. JesterAI cannot own stocks and so it has no positions in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, International Business Machines, and Oracle. The Motley Fool recommends Gartner. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Altisource Q2 Revenue Up 11 Percent
Key Points - Revenue (GAAP) rose 11% to $43.3 million in Q2 2025, reflecting year-over-year improvement in Adjusted EBITDA across both major business segments. - Net income turned positive at $16.6 million, driven by an $18.5 million one-time tax reserve reversal for India in Q2 2025. - But underlying operating cash flow (non-GAAP) remained negative. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Altisource Portfolio Solutions (NASDAQ:ASPS), a provider of services and technology for the mortgage and real estate industries, published its Q2 2025 earnings on July 24, 2025. The most notable news was a sharp swing to positive net income (GAAP), largely due to a substantial tax benefit from reversing reserves tied to prior uncertainties with Indian tax positions. Revenue climbed 11% to $43.3 million, up from $39.1 million in the same quarter last year, with adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) rising 23% to $5.4 million. With no available analyst consensus, it is not possible to gauge this quarter's results against Street expectations. Overall, the second quarter showed stronger service revenue and profitability compared to the same period in 2024, but the headline numbers were heavily influenced by non-operational gains and persistent cash outflows. Metric Q2 2025 Q2 2024 Y/Y Change Diluted EPS (GAAP) $1.48 ($2.33) $1.86 Adjusted Diluted EPS (Non-GAAP) $0.19 ($1.67) — Revenue (GAAP) $43.3 million $39.1 million 11% Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) $5.4 million $4.4 million 23% Net Income (GAAP) $16.6 million ($8.3 million) $24.9 million Business Overview and Strategic Focus Altisource is a specialized services and technology company concentrated in the mortgage, real estate, and loan origination markets. It offers a portfolio of technology platforms and business process services supporting mortgage servicing, property management, and mortgage origination. Key product lines include technology solutions such as Equator, a loan servicing platform, and RentRange, which provides data analytics for real estate investment. Its growth strategy depends on deep relationships with major clients, technology-enabled solutions, and effective management of debt and overall financial leverage. One customer, Onity, accounts for a substantial portion of revenue, leading to client concentration risk. The company also emphasizes innovation in software-as-a-service (SaaS) and automation, while actively managing debt and seeking opportunities in evolving regulatory and market conditions. Quarter Highlights: Revenue Growth, One-Off Gains, and Debt Moves During Q2 2025, Altisource saw service revenue rise 11%, supported by improvements in Adjusted EBITDA in both the Servicer and Real Estate, and Origination segments. Service revenue increased by $3.9 million year over year, Segment-level margins increased slightly. However, gross margin on service revenue dipped from 34% in Q2 2024 to 32% in Q2 2025 (GAAP). This decline occurred despite top-line growth. The most significant profit driver was the $18.5 million reversal of reserves related to uncertain Indian tax positions, including $9.6 million for taxes and $9.0 million for accrued interest. This non-operational item transformed the company's net income for the period; without it, adjusted net income would have been much lower at $2.2 million (non-GAAP). Excluding this effect, adjusted diluted earnings per share (non-GAAP) moved to $0.19 from a loss a year earlier, demonstrating improvement, but on a much smaller scale than the GAAP figures. Debt reduction and restructuring were also major features. After a term loan exchange in Q1 2025, long-term debt consisted of a $160.0 million senior secured term loan and a $12.5 million super senior term loan, compared to $232.8 million at the end of 2024, aided by a $12.5 million Super Senior facility and $45.4 million in equity issued in exchange for debt. Net debt (non-GAAP) at quarter end was $142.2 million. This reduction is expected to lower annual GAAP interest expense to approximately $9.5 million, creating future savings in cash flow and improving the balance sheet. The company also implemented a 1-for-8 reverse stock split on May 28, reducing shares outstanding and altering share price dynamics. Despite the positive headline results, operating cash flow (GAAP) remained negative at ($0.3) million for the quarter and ($5.3) million for the first six months of 2025. Negative cash flow from operations (GAAP) signals continued pressure on the ability to fund future investments internally, even as the company works to stabilize its financial base. Corporate and other segment losses offset improvements in the main business lines, underscoring ongoing challenges with cost discipline outside core operating units. No dividend was declared or paid during the quarter. ASPS does not currently pay a dividend. Industry and Market Context Market conditions during the quarter shaped Altisource's growth in important ways. The broader mortgage industry saw a modest pickup: foreclosure initiations were up 22% for the five months ended May 31, 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, but volumes remain well below pre-pandemic levels, with foreclosure initiations still 22% lower than in 2019 and foreclosure sales 51% below that benchmark for the same period. Mortgage origination volumes rose 14% for the six months ended June 30, 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, driven mainly by a 58 % jump in refinancing activity, while purchase activity fell slightly. However, management noted that the current environment remains 'close to historically low' in terms of industry delinquencies, continuing to constrain organic growth for foreclosure- and default-related services, as referenced in recent disclosures. The company reported some wins in new business during the period, estimating annualized stabilized service revenue from sales wins of $1.1 million in its Servicer and Real Estate business and $3.3 million in Origination. Technology remains a central theme, but the company reported no quantitative progress on platforms like Equator or in SaaS adoption metrics. Management continues to describe technology-enabled solutions as an area of focus, yet offered no new data to measure this area's contribution during the period. Regulatory factors impacted results through the tax reversal in India—removing significant uncertainty and legal overhang. Though management underscored that regulation remains an ever-present aspect of operating in the mortgage and real estate services sector. Outlook and What to Watch Management offered no explicit financial guidance for the next quarter or the full year. Executives highlighted their expectation that higher industry defaults and foreclosure volumes would boost results in Altisource's most profitable business lines. They noted a weighted average sales pipeline between $36 million and $44 million in potential annualized service revenue, with the majority of future opportunities likely to be realized in 2026 and beyond. The company remains focused on growing business lines with favorable industry trends, managing costs, and building financial flexibility following the recent debt restructuring. Investors may want to monitor whether operating cash flow can turn positive, how well sales pipeline wins convert to recurring revenues, and any changes in client concentration or major contract renewals. Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted. Where to invest $1,000 right now When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,037%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. They just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 JesterAI is a Foolish AI, based on a variety of Large Language Models (LLMs) and proprietary Motley Fool systems. All articles published by JesterAI are reviewed by our editorial team, and The Motley Fool takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this article. JesterAI cannot own stocks and so it has no positions in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
