These Beats earbuds just crashed to their lowest price ever at Amazon — $50 off
Beats' latest earbuds are on sale for the first time! These are the new winner for the best workout headphones we've tested, so if you're heading out and about for the spring, these earbuds will become your new best friend.
Right now, you can get the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 for $199 at Amazon. This is $50 off and the lowest price I've seen so far for this model. And what's more, the discount currently applies across all the different colors!
The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are pretty much the ultimate earbuds for fitness fans, which is why they took the top spot on our list of the best wireless earbuds for fitness
First up, the design of the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 makes them awesome for working out. Their unique ear clip shape means they stay firmly in place even when you're moving around a lot, and they're super comfortable to wear, too. We also like that the Powerbeats Pro 2 have physical buttons to control the volume and skip songs — they're much easier to use compared to touch controls when you're on the go.
While these aren't the best-sounding earbuds we've ever tested, they still put in a great audio performance. We especially liked how things sounded on the lower end in our tests, as plenty of strong, dynamic bass came through. And the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 also have Spatial Audio and solid active noise canceling on board to keep you truly immersed in what you're listening to.
(Image credit: Future)
Plus, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds have a heart rate monitor. This is handy if you don't like to exercise with a fitness tracker on, but in our tests, we got some inaccurate readings. So if you're serious about keeping an eye on your heart rate, you'll still want to get a fitness tracker or chest strap.
Despite a few shortcomings, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are still a fantastic pair of headphones for working out, and they're even better now that you can get them for a discount. Make sure to snag them while you can! For more savings, check out our Amazon promo codes coverage, and see this Carhartt spring sale from $11 at Amazon.
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The NERC has projected that several hundred gigawatts of capacity from new generation are expected to arrive within the decade. But in the meantime, the gap between supply and demand has pushed the biggest tech players to search for other solutions. In March 2024, Amazon Web Services announced a deal worth $650 million with power producer and energy infrastructure operator Talen Energy (TLN). In return for that sum, Talen is set to provide Amazon with more than 19 gigawatts of energy from its Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, one of the largest nuclear plants in the country, to power a data center site directly adjacent to the plant. Then in September 2024, Microsoft inked a deal with Constellation Energy (CEG) to purchase power that Constellation plans to generate by bringing one of two reactors at the decommissioned Three Mile Island nuclear plant back online by 2028. Electricity Innovation's Pierpont told Yahoo Finance that he expects hyperscalers and other large tech players to increasingly pursue deals like Amazon's and Microsoft's as they look at how much power they can generate themselves on-site — especially as data center development shows no signs of slowing down. Alphabet recently announced on its Q2 earnings call that data centers and networking equipment made up a full third of its $22.4 billion in capital expenditures for the quarter, while Microsoft said it will spend $80 billion by the end of the year to "build out AI-enabled datacenters to train AI models and deploy AI and cloud-based applications around the world." "Helping accelerate growth while also making sure we pay our fair share for the electricity to serve our operations is critical for Google," Alphabet said in a statement provided to Yahoo Finance. "Our priority is to help responsibly scale grid systems, making them more reliable, resilient and affordable for everyone." Amazon implied on its Q4 2024 earnings call that it will spend around $63 billion on capex in the second half of 2025, and Oracle predicted in its Q4 earnings call that the "vast majority" of its projected $25 billion-plus in capex will be spent on "equipment that is going into data centers and not for land or buildings." 'We work closely with utilities and grid operators to plan for future growth," Amazon said in a statement. "Where we require specific infrastructure to meet our needs (such as new substations), we work to make sure that we're covering those costs and that they aren't being passed on to other ratepayers." Tech players have begun to announce initiatives to ease some of the burden of their grid draw. Google recently signed agreements with two US utilities to operate a "demand response" model for its data centers that can "shift or reduce" power during peak demand times, which the company said will help to get new developments grid-connected more quickly, reduce the need for new capacity, and make it easier for operators to better manage power grids. But activist groups like the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) say they haven't seen the tech players live up to their claims. "As state regulators respond to growing demand, the data center industry has demonstrated a lack of transparency about their energy use and an unwillingness to aggressively push for state and federal policy that would unlock barriers to the clean energy and transmission infrastructure needed to meet their stated goals," SELC climate initiative leader Alys Campaigne told Yahoo Finance. SELC has threatened Elon Musk's xAI with lawsuits over its Colossus data center project in Memphis that activists say involved installing gas turbines without proper permitting. SELC has also worked with other activist groups to block data center developments. Microsoft, Meta, and Oracle did not respond to requests for comment. For its part, the energy industry is likely to push back plans to retire existing gas and coal plants that can provide steady capacity, even if they are at or near the point of decommissioning, Goldman Sachs' Davenport and Bank of America's Obin told Yahoo Finance. "You could push those [retirement timelines] out and to the right to a degree to try to bridge the gap," Davenport said. "They're not getting pushed out to the right by 10 years, but could you see two, three-year push-outs? I think that's absolutely reasonable." 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"A lack of capital is not the most pressing bottleneck for AI progress," Dan Dees, Goldman Sachs' co-head of global banking and markets, said in a report from the bank on AI's energy demand. "It's the power needed to fuel it." Jake Conley is a breaking news reporter covering US equities for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on X at @byjakeconley or email him at Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
Why Wall Street is Wrong About Amazon's (AMZN) Stock Dip
What a ride it's been! After a steady climb from April's lows to what looked like a new all-time high, Amazon stock (AMZN) got slammed on strong volume, following its Q2 earnings report, as investors reacted to cautious guidance and concerns over heavy AI-related spending. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. But take a closer look, and the results tell a different story. Amazon delivered strong performance across domestic and international retail, AWS, and profitability. And at current levels, the stock still looks reasonably valued. That's why I'm staying Bullish with a view of buying the dip in AMZN stock. Retail Keeps the Engine Humming Investors tend to focus all their attention on AWS when assessing Amazon, yet its retail business, both in North America and internationally, showed some serious muscle in Q2. North America sales climbed 11% year-over-year to $100 billion, while the international segment surged 16% to $36.8 billion (11% when adjusted for currency swings). The company's 4-day 'Prime Day' event was a blockbuster, setting records for sales and new Prime sign-ups, proving Amazon still dominates in the e-commerce space. Notably, CEO Andy Jassy highlighted more thoughtful inventory placement, which cut delivery times and boosted customer satisfaction. Internationally, Amazon's pushing hard with same-day delivery expansions, reaching smaller cities and rural areas, which is paying off with faster growth than in North America. The deployment of AI across the shopping experience also appears to be bearing fruit. The company's AI-driven tools, such as a generative AI that reads product reviews aloud, are stimulating faster decision-making during shopping. It's very endearing that despite being a pretty mature business at this point, Amazon's retail arm isn't only growing but also continuously evolving, which, in my view, positions it for further market share gains, particularly as competitors like Temu face tariff challenges. AWS: The Cloud Keeps Soaring Of course, AWS remains the crown jewel, raking in $30.9 billion in Q2, up 17.5% from last year. Now look, this figure wasn't as impressive as the blistering growth of Microsoft's Azure (39%) or Google Cloud's (32%), but at the end of the day, AWS is still the big dog in cloud computing, with a $189 billion backlog signaling long-term demand. Jassy emphasized new AI offerings like Bedrock AgentCore and partnerships with heavyweights like PepsiCo (PEP) and Airbnb (ABNB), which are leaning on AWS for their cloud needs. Last week's earnings call also highlighted an interesting aspect of AMZN's business: custom silicon, such as its 'Trainium' custom AI chips, that have 'impressively emerged as the backbone for Anthropix newest generation cloud models,' according to Jassy. The CEO also noted that most IT spending still happens on-premise, but as companies shift to the cloud (especially for AI), AWS is poised to ride that rising trend. And despite some margin pressure from heavy AI investments, AWS's operating income still hit $10.2 billion, proving it's still a cash cow. Profitability Spikes Higher Speaking about operating income, Amazon's total operating income for the quarter jumped 31% to $19.2 billion, blowing past the $16.7 billion that analysts expected. North America's operating margin hit 7.5%, up 190 basis points, while the international segment's margin soared to 4.1%, a 320-basis-point leap. Advertising was a star here, with revenue up 22% to $15.7 billion, driven by sponsored products and new partnerships with Roku (ROKU) and Disney (DIS). More innovative logistics played a significant role, too. By optimizing inventory placement, Amazon effectively slashed outbound shipping costs while boosting delivery speeds, with unit growth outpacing shipping cost growth by a wide margin. CFO Brian Olsavsky also pointed to robotics and automation in fulfillment centers, which are driving down costs while handling higher volumes. In my view, these efficiencies, paired with high-margin businesses like AWS and ads, are turning Amazon into a leaner, meaner profit machine. Value Still Shines Despite AMZN's Guidance Jitters Last week's market tantrum was rather revealing. Amazon's Q3 outlook implied sales 10-13% growth and operating income of $15.5 billion to $20.5 billion, slightly above analyst midpoints but not the blowout some hoped for. Investors also seem to be nervous about the $100 billion AI spending spree and potential tariff impacts, which could squeeze margins if costs are passed to consumers. Jassy admitted tariff uncertainty is a wildcard, but I think that Amazon is diversifying its supply chain to keep prices low. In any case, I believe that at 33x this year's expected EPS, Amazon's stock looks rather reasonably priced against its growth trajectory. With AI investments set to fuel long-term growth in AWS and retail, this dip feels like a buying opportunity for patient investors. In the meantime, with EPS expected to grow between 15% and 20% per annum at least over the medium term, today's multiple offers a decent margin of safety, in my view. What is the Price Target for AMZN in 2025? There are 45 analysts offering price targets on AMZN stock via TipRanks — with an overwhelming bullish consensus. Currently, the stock carries a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 44 Buy and one Hold ratings over the past three months. At $265.16, AMZN's average stock target implies almost 25% upside over the next twelve months. Amazon's Post-Earnings Dip Means Attractive Prices Despite the post-earnings sell-off, Amazon's Q2 results reflect solid execution—strong retail growth, continued AWS dominance, and profitability firing on all cylinders. While cautious guidance and AI-related spending gave the market pause, the underlying numbers paint a much more positive picture. With a valuation that still looks reasonable and analysts projecting double-digit upside, this pullback could be a compelling opportunity to get in on a stock well-positioned for long-term growth.
