Intelsat Wins India Approval for Direct Broadcast Services
Article content
Article content
MCLEAN, Va. — Intelsat, operator of one of the world's largest integrated satellite and terrestrial networks, became one of the first foreign satellite operators to receive approval from the Indian government to provide extensive satellite coverage directly to India's broadcast media companies, a significant regulatory achievement that puts Intelsat on an accelerated path to offering new services and further India investment.
Article content
The company has secured authorization for four geostationary (GEO) satellites providing C-band coverage over India: IS-17, IS-20, IS-36 and IS-39 satellites. The approved satellite fleet will primarily serve India's dynamic broadcast media industry, enabling enhanced content delivery and distribution capabilities across the subcontinent and from India to other regions of the world. This regulatory milestone underscores Intelsat's commitment to expanding its presence in India and fostering technological advancement in the region.
Article content
'This approval represents a significant step forward in Intelsat's contribution to India's space commerce sector, a source of great national pride,' said Gaurav Kharod, Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific at Intelsat. 'Our extensive satellite network with four satellites covering the region will provide Indian broadcasters with reliable, high-quality connectivity solutions that meet their evolving needs. This authorization enables us to better serve our customers and contribute to India's growing media landscape.'
Article content
Following the authorization from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), Intelsat won new business from three of India's largest media companies. This new and expanded service will see Intelsat deliver the full portfolio of media content to viewers in India.
Article content
About Intelsat
Article content
Intelsat's global team of professionals is focused on providing seamless and secure, satellite-based communications to government, NGO and commercial customers through the company's next-generation worldwide network and managed services. Bridging the digital divide by operating one of the world's largest and most advanced satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructures, Intelsat enables people and their tools to speak over oceans, see across continents and listen through the skies to communicate, cooperate and coexist. Since its founding six decades ago, the company has been synonymous with satellite-industry 'firsts' in service to its customers and the planet. Leaning on a legacy of innovation and focusing on addressing a new generation of challenges Intelsat team members now have their sights on the 'next firsts' in space as they disrupt the field and lead in the digital transformation of the industry.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Apple Stock Warning: Tariffs, Weak Smartphone Demand to Hit AAPL in 2025
Smartphone sales have driven substantial revenue growth for major technology firms in recent years. However, 2025 may present notable challenges as consumer demand moderates and trade policy uncertainties intensify. Apple (AAPL) is particularly exposed to these headwinds, experiencing slow growth amid tariff uncertainty. Recently, Apple received worse news from Counterpoint Research, which has revised its 2025 global iPhone shipment growth forecast downward to 2.5% year-over-year from an earlier projection of 4%. The adjustment is attributed to 'renewed uncertainties surrounding U.S. tariffs' and weakening demand across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia. Although smartphones were initially excluded from April's reciprocal tariff announcement, the lingering risk has prompted Apple to increase production in India rather than China. Simultaneously, competition in China has intensified, with domestic manufacturers rapidly integrating advanced features such as artificial intelligence into their devices. About Apple Stock With a market capitalization of around $3 trillion, Apple continues to lead the consumer technology sector by seamlessly integrating hardware, software, and services. The company generates revenue through the sale of iPhones, Macs, wearables, and digital subscriptions via its global retail and online platforms. Apple's heavy investment in research and development, combined with its strong brand loyalty, contributes to its impressive profitability. It boasts net profit margins around 24%, far exceeding the industry average of 4%. This financial strength gives Apple a competitive edge. However, despite its impressive margins, Apple faces several headwinds. Sales have been declining, particularly in China, due to intensifying competition from domestic brands. Additionally, some analysts argue that Apple is falling behind in AI innovation and product development, raising concerns about its long-term ability to lead in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Reflecting these concerns, Apple has underperformed over the past year, gaining just 2.3% compared to the S&P 500's ($SPX) 12.6% return during the same period. At the current price point, AAPL's valuation is notably high, with a price-sales ratio of 7.6x, significantly above the sector median of 3x, suggesting the stock is expensive compared to its peers. iPhone Slowing Growth Amid China Heat Apple's iPhone sales showed modest growth in the latest quarter but face mounting headwinds that could dampen demand in 2025. In fiscal Q2, iPhone revenue climbed 1.9% year-over-year to $46.8 billion, contributing to total quarterly sales of $95.4 billion, up 5% from a year earlier. Despite this uptick, several factors point to softer demand ahead. In Greater China, revenues slid 2.3% as local competitors rolled out AI-driven features and government subsidy programs favored domestic brands. By contrast, revenues in the Americas and the Asia-Pacific regions both grew roughly 8%, fueled by continued U.S. strength and India-based production mitigating tariff impacts; Japan led all regions with a 17% jump. Compounding these regional challenges, trade policy clouds the broader outlook. CEO Tim Cook warned that prospective U.S. tariffs on electronics could impose about $900 million of extra costs in the June quarter. Even though iPhones were spared in April's reciprocal duties announcement, the uncertainty has driven Apple to shift a larger share of production from China to India and Vietnam. As discussed earlier, Counterpoint Research forecasts global smartphone shipments will grow just 2% in 2025, citing tariff anxiety and weakening consumer appetite across North America, Europe and parts of Asia. With these crosscurrents, tariff risk, intensifying competition in China and cooling Western demand, Apple's 2025 iPhone outlook appears increasingly challenged. Where Apple Could Gain Momentum Despite looming headwinds, there are still strategic positives for Apple. The $500 billion U.S. investment plan, including a new Texas factory for advanced server manufacturing and increased chip sourcing from Arizona, signals a long-term commitment to innovation and domestic production. Additionally, Apple is diversifying its supply chain by shifting iPhone production to India and moving iPad and Mac assembly to Vietnam. These steps reduce reliance on China, helping Apple mitigate geopolitical risks, avoid tariffs, and ensure more stable operations. While these changes may raise short-term costs, they enhance supply chain resilience and position Apple for stronger global competitiveness. On the operating expenses front, rising R&D spending underscores Apple's all-in push on AI integration across iPhones, Macs, and Vision Pro, with rumoured smart glasses to follow. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports significant chip progress for these wearables. However, Apple's late AI entry risks its AI ambitions aging like previously stalled concepts. What Do Analysts Think About Apple Stock? Wall Street remains cautiously optimistic about Apple's growth prospects with a consensus 'Moderate Buy' rating. Of the 37 analysts offering recommendations, 18 give it a solid 'Strong Buy,' three suggest a 'Moderate Buy,' 13 advocate 'Hold,' one 'Moderate Sell,' and the remaining two give a 'Strong Sell.' The average analyst price target of $231 suggests that the stock could rise by around 15% from current levels.
Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Baidu Trading at a Discount at 8.59X: Should You Buy the Stock?
Baidu, Inc. BIDU is currently trading at a discount relative to its industry and historical metrics, with its forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio sitting below its five-year average, as shown below. It currently has a Value Score of B. This is a deep discount to the broader tech sector and even to Chinese peers. By comparison, Alibaba BABA has a forward P/E of 10.96 and Tencent TCEHY has 16. Meanwhile, the Zacks Computer and Technology sector is currently trading at 26.22X. Baidu Valuation Image Source: Zacks Investment Research In terms of Baidu's share price performance, its shares have gained only 1.8% so far this year. Meanwhile, its peers Alibaba and Tencent have surged 40.8% and 24.2%, respectively, during the same time frame. The Zacks Internet – Services industry has lost 6.3%, and the Zacks Computer and Technology sector has gained 1.3% year to date. Share Price Performance Let's analyze BIDU's current strengths and risks to determine if the stock warrants an investment at this stage. Baidu's Growth Drivers Baidu's most immediate opportunity lies in the continued rapid scaling of its AI Cloud business. In the first quarter of 2025, AI Cloud revenue surged 42% from a year ago to RMB 6.7 billion, accelerating from 26% growth in fourth-quarter 2024. This segment now makes up 26% of Baidu Core revenue, up from 20% a year ago—a clear sign that AI Cloud is becoming a central growth driver. Triple-digit growth in generative AI and foundation model-related revenue within Cloud further suggests strong demand tailwinds. As China's enterprise AI adoption deepens, Baidu's Qianfan MaaS platform—with its broad model library, industry-leading inference cost efficiency, and support for multimodal and reasoning models—positions the company to consolidate its share in this expanding market. Another major opportunity is Baidu's autonomous driving business. Apollo Go provided approximately 1.4 million rides in first-quarter 2025, up 75% year over year, and management confirmed that the service is now fully driverless in mainland China and entering new global markets such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Hong Kong. The fleet of more than 1,000 driverless vehicles and the unique, sub-$30,000 unit cost of the RT6 purpose-built robotaxi give Baidu an edge in scaling autonomous mobility. New partnerships, such as with CAR Inc., could further support asset-light, scalable growth. Baidu's AI-powered search transformation also represents a significant long-term opportunity. As of April 2025, about 35% of mobile search results contained AI-generated content, up sharply from 22% in January. Management expects this penetration to keep rising in the second quarter. While monetization is in early testing, the ability to monetize long-tail queries and new formats could eventually expand Baidu's ad revenue base beyond the limits of traditional search. Baidu's Challenges to Overcome While user experience and engagement metrics are improving with AI search, monetization approaches are still being rebuilt from scratch, with management cautioning that the transformation will place notable near-term pressures on revenue and margin. There is uncertainty around how quickly and effectively Baidu can convert AI-driven engagement into sustainable ad revenue. Again, AI chip supply constraints are an external risk. U.S. export restrictions on advanced AI chips could affect Baidu's ability to support large-scale training and inference for its models. Management emphasized its flexibility with domestic chips and software optimizations, but the risk remains that supply limitations or performance gaps in domestic chips could hinder Baidu's AI Cloud scalability or competitiveness. Competitive intensity is rising in both AI cloud and AI search. Chinese tech giants are racing to release advanced models, improve inference cost structures, and capture enterprise cloud spend. Moreover, large platforms with massive user traffic (e.g., Tencent, Alibaba) are integrating AI into their ecosystems, increasing competitive pressure. Margin pressure from elevated AI investments is another consideration. In the first quarter, Baidu reported negative free cash flow of RMB 8.9 billion, largely due to heightened AI investments. With R&D intensity declining (R&D expenses were 16% of Baidu Core revenue this quarter, down from 21% from a year ago), Baidu must balance innovation speed with financial discipline. Earnings Estimates Trend & Growth Rate for Baidu Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Baidu's current-year earnings per share (EPS) has decreased, as you can see below, depicting analysts' concerns over the company's prospects. How to Play BIDU Stock Now? Despite trading at a seemingly attractive discount, Baidu's near-term risks outweigh its potential rewards. The company faces rising uncertainty in monetizing its AI-driven businesses. While AI Cloud growth is robust, it remains vulnerable to escalating competition from peers like Alibaba and Tencent, both of whom are outpacing Baidu in stock performance. Furthermore, Baidu's AI search transformation is still in its infancy, with unproven monetization strategies likely to pressure revenue and margins in the coming quarters. The company is also exposed to U.S. AI chip restrictions, which could impair the scalability of its models. Baidu's negative free cash flow and declining R&D intensity raise additional concerns about its ability to maintain a technological edge. The recent downward trend in EPS estimates underscores analysts' growing caution. With stronger-performing alternatives in the Chinese tech space and rising operational headwinds, now appears an opportune time for investors to exit BIDU stock. BIDU currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor Stock It's only 1/9,000th the size of NVIDIA which skyrocketed more than +800% since we recommended it. NVIDIA is still strong, but our new top chip stock has much more room to boom. With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $803 billion by 2028. See This Stock Now for Free >> Baidu, Inc. (BIDU): Free Stock Analysis Report Tencent Holding Ltd. (TCEHY): Free Stock Analysis Report
Globe and Mail
4 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Soybeans, Steel, Semiconductors: Are You Ready to Trade the U.S.-China Wildcard?
The U.S. and China are entangled in a trade war that's rocking commodity markets. A 90-day tariff truce, struck in May, slashed tariffs from 145% to 30% for the U.S. and 125% to 10% for China. Non-tariff barriers, which have been strangling supply chains since April 2020, are being dismantled. Both nations have pledged to maintain ongoing talks, but the truce remains fragile, with accusations of violations mounting. For traders and investors, this is a landscape of peril and profit. Can you seize the moment? Source: ESignal The Bloomberg Commodity Index monthly chart has returned to its midpoint after reaching its lows during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Regardless of the outcome of the trade talks, the results could be the next catalyst to project commodity prices higher or lower significantly. Rare Earths and Magnets: The Tech Lifeline at Risk China's dominance over rare earth minerals and magnets—critical for tech, manufacturing, and defense—remains a flashpoint. These materials fuel everything from electric vehicle (EV) motors to missile systems. Beijing's export restrictions have driven dysprosium prices up 29% and neodymium prices down 1% year-to-date (YTD), respectively. If talks collapse, supply disruptions could lead to further price spikes. What if you could lock in rare earth products now, such as those on specialized markets? Trading of dysprosium and neodymium may occur in specialized or over-the-counter markets related to industrial supply chains, allowing you to capitalize on a potential supply crunch. Ethane: The Plastic Power Play Ethane, a cornerstone of plastics production, is a geopolitical weapon. The U.S., a leading producer, now mandates export licenses for shipments to China, which depends on American ethane for its petrochemical plants. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts that the United States will produce 2.9 million barrels per day (b/d) of ethane this year and 3.1 million b/d next year, up from 2.8 million b/d in 2024. A breakdown in talks could hinder China's plastics industry, potentially disrupting global supply chains. What if you could trade ethane-linked ETFs, like those tied to petrochemical stocks, to profit from supply constraints? ETFs with potential ethane exposure: Energy Infrastructure ETFs: These ETFs invest in companies that own and operate infrastructure, such as pipelines, processing plants, and export terminals, related to natural gas liquids (NGL), which include ethane. Examples include the Alerian Energy Infrastructure ETF (ENFR). Oil & Gas ETFs: Some oil and gas ETFs may hold companies involved in ethane extraction or processing as part of their broader energy portfolio. Leveraged/Inverse Energy ETNs: Certain exchange-traded notes (ETNs) tracking energy sectors, like the MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil 3X Leveraged ETN (NRGU), may have exposure to companies that handle ethane. Agriculture: Soybeans, Corn, and Beef on the Brink U.S. farmers are battered by past tariffs that crushed soybean, corn, and beef exports to China. The truce offers a lifeline, but export costs persist, and Brazil's surge in soybean production threatens to erode U.S. market share. Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade are about unchanged year-to-date, signaling cautious optimism. A successful deal could revive demand, but failure could reignite tariffs. What if you could go long on soybean futures (ZS) or ETF (SOYB) now, anticipating a demand rebound if the truce holds? Oil: The Global Wildcard A trade deal could spark global growth, driving oil demand. Resulting in Brent crude (QA), at $65 per barrel in June 2025, could hit $85 if economic confidence surges. However, if talks falter, recession fears could drive prices down. This aligns with recent EIA projections, which indicate that Brent crude oil prices are expected to average around $66 per barrel in 2025. This is a decrease from their previous forecast of $68/bbl in April and significantly lower than the average of $81/bbl in 2024. Brent prices are expected to decline further, averaging $59 per barrel in 2026. Oil's trajectory hinges on this deal. What if you could position in oil ETFs, like USO, or futures like (CL), to ride a potential price surge fueled by renewed global demand? Clothing, Textiles, and Food: The Consumer Squeeze Clothing, textiles, and food declined, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which measures inflation using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the CPI data for April 2025. Apparel prices declined by 0.7%, while fruit and vegetable prices declined by 0.9%. A trade truce will ease some of the strain, but retailers will still face ongoing cost pressures. Cotton and wheat futures remain volatile as supply chains recalibrate. What if you could trade cotton futures (CT) on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) to capture price swings driven by tariff relief? Steel and Aluminum: Tariffs Bite Deeper The U.S. raised Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50% in June 2025, doubling the previous rate of 25%. China's potential retaliation could disrupt global metal flows. What if you could invest in U.S. steel producers, like Nucor (NUE), to benefit from higher domestic prices amid tariff protections? Semiconductors and Electronics: A Fragile Exemption Computers and semiconductors sidestepped some tariffs, but exemptions are shaky. With duties still in play, chip prices are volatile—Intel and NVIDIA stocks dropped 5% in Q2 2025. A trade war escalation could disrupt tech supply chains. What if you could short vulnerable semiconductor stocks or go long on resilient players, such as Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM), to navigate tariff-driven volatility? The Fragile Truce: What's Next? This truce is a house of cards. Both sides wield strategic resources, such as rare earths and ethane, as bargaining chips. The commitment to ongoing talks is hopeful, but trust is scarce. Commodity markets will stay turbulent as long as uncertainty reigns. What if you could diversify across commodity ETFs (DBA) to hedge against the volatility of a potential trade war relapse? Your Move, Trader, The U.S.-China trade saga is a chessboard of risk and reward. Rare earths, ethane, agriculture, oil, textiles, food, steel, and semiconductors are all in play. Prices are shifting, and opportunities abound. Will you act decisively to capture the movements or let the chaos outmaneuver you? Study the markets, track the news, and move strategically. The clock is ticking—what's your next trade?
