Enterprise Products After Ethane Export Ban: Opportunity or Overhang?
Enterprise Products plays a key role in the midstream space by handling everything from gathering natural gas to processing, transporting, and storing it. After processing natural gas liquids (NGL) from natural gas, EPD transports the NGLs through its pipeline network. After that, through the process of fractionation at specialized plants, the partnership engages in separating the NGL mixture into its components, such as ethane. Enterprise Products' midstream services also include storing the components and loading these products onto ships at its marine export terminal for overseas export.
Now, the resumption of ethane exports to China is likely to generate cash flows for Enterprise Products. From transporting natural gas, to processing it into NGLs and transporting and loading NGLs like ethane, the partnership will generate stable fee-based revenues, which is beneficial for investors. However, given the ongoing U.S.-China tensions, EPD's overall risk persists.
WMB & ET Also Have NGL Midstream Assets
The Williams Companies, Inc. WMB has a 50% ownership interest in The Overland Pass Pipeline. WMB stated that the pipeline network covers 760 miles, transporting NGL to the Mid-Continent market hub located in Conway, KS, from Opal, WY. The pipeline network of Williams Companies has a daily capacity of 245,000 barrels of NGL.
Energy Transfer LP ET is also involved in transporting NGL. The pipeline network of ET, transporting NGL, spans approximately 5,700 miles. Energy Transfer noted that the pipeline network has a daily transportation capacity of three million barrels.
EPD's Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Units of EPD have surged 16% over the past year, outpacing the 14.7% improvement of the composite stocks belonging to the industry.
From a valuation standpoint, EPD trades at a trailing 12-month enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of 10.18X. This is below the broader industry average of 11.56X.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPD's 2025 earnings hasn't been revised over the past seven days.
EPD stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB): Free Stock Analysis Report
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Energy Transfer LP (ET): Free Stock Analysis Report
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Globe and Mail
16 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
NiCE Reports 12% Year-Over-Year Cloud Revenue Growth for the Second Quarter 2025 and Raises Full-Year 2025 EPS Guidance
NiCE (NASDAQ: NICE) today announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025, as compared to the corresponding periods of the previous year. Second Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights GAAP Non-GAAP Total revenue was $726.7 million and increased 9% Total revenue was $726.7 million and increased 9% Cloud revenue was $540.8 million and increased 12% Cloud revenue was $540.8 million and increased 12% Operating income was $160.6 million and increased 25% Operating income was $219.7 million and increased 9% Operating margin was 22.1% compared to 19.4% last year Operating margin was 30.2% compared to 30.4% last year Diluted EPS was $2.96 and increased 69% Diluted EPS was $3.01 and increased 14% 'We're pleased to report another strong quarter, with total revenue reaching $727 million—surpassing the high end of our guidance range—and earnings per share of $3.01 at the top of the expected range,' said Scott Russell, CEO of NiCE. This performance was driven by continued strength in our cloud business, which grew 12% year-over-year. A key catalyst behind this momentum is the accelerating demand for AI and self-service solutions, with annual recurring revenue in this part of our business rising an impressive 42% compared to the same period last year. Mr. Russell continued, 'AI is at the core of our strategy, and we are at the forefront of the AI-first transformation in the customer experience market. And this is just the beginning. Our momentum is set to accelerate further with the upcoming integration of Cognigy's industry-leading CX-AI conversational and agentic capabilities upon closing of the transaction, enabling us to deliver truly human-like, AI-first customer experiences on CXone Mpower. Our continued leadership in AI innovation is powered by our solid financial foundation, strong profitability, and robust balance sheet, as well as a growing number of strategic partnerships secured over the past six months." GAAP Financial Highlights for the Second Quarter Ended June 30: Revenues: Second quarter 2025 total revenues increased 9% year over year to $726.7 million compared to $664.4 million for the second quarter of 2024. Gross Profit: Second quarter 2025 gross profit was $485.1 million compared to $439.6 million for the second quarter of 2024. Second quarter 2025 gross margin was 66.8% compared to 66.2% for the second quarter of 2024. Operating Income: Second quarter 2025 operating income increased 25% to $160.6 million compared to $128.8 million for the second quarter of 2024. Second quarter 2025 operating margin was 22.1% compared to 19.4% for the second quarter of 2024. Net Income: Second quarter 2025 net income increased 62% to $187.4 million compared to $115.8 million for the second quarter of 2024. Second quarter 2025 net income margin was 25.8% compared to 17.4% for the second quarter of 2024. Fully Diluted Earnings Per Share: Second quarter 2025 fully diluted earnings per share increased 69% to $2.96 compared to $1.76 in the second quarter of 2024. Cash Flow and Cash Balance: Second quarter 2025 operating cash flow was $61.3 million and $30.8 million was used for share repurchases. As of June 30, 2025, total cash and cash equivalents, and short-term investments were $1,631.7 million. Our debt, was $459.6 million, resulting in net cash and investments of $1,172.0 million. Non-GAAP Financial Highlights for the Second Quarter June 30: Revenues: Second quarter 2025 non-GAAP total revenues increased 9% year over year to $726.7 million compared to $664.4 million for the second quarter of 2024. Gross Profit: Second quarter 2025 non-GAAP gross profit increased to $503.9 million compared to $469.4 million for the second quarter of 2024. Second quarter 2025 non-GAAP gross margin was 69.3% compared to 70.7% for the second quarter of 2024. Operating Income: Second quarter 2025 non-GAAP operating income increased 9% to $219.7 million compared to $201.7 million for the second quarter of 2024. Second quarter 2025 non-GAAP operating margin was 30.2% compared to 30.4% for the second quarter of 2024. Net Income: Second quarter 2025 non-GAAP net income increased 9% to $190.3 million compared to $174.2 million for the second quarter of 2024. Second quarter 2025 non-GAAP net income margin totaled 26.2% compared to 26.2% for the second quarter of 2024. Fully Diluted Earnings Per Share: Second quarter 2025 non-GAAP fully diluted earnings per share increased 14% to $3.01 compared to $2.64 for the second quarter of 2024. Third Quarter and Full Year 2025 Guidance*: Third-Quarter 2025: Third-quarter 2025 non-GAAP total revenue is expected to be in a range of $722 million to $732 million, representing 5% year over year growth at the midpoint. Third-quarter 2025 non-GAAP fully diluted earnings per share is expected to be in a range of $3.12 to $3.22, representing 10% year over year growth at the midpoint. Full-Year 2025: The Company reaffirmed full-year 2025 non-GAAP total revenue which is expected to be in a range of $2,918 million to $2,938 million, representing 7% year over year growth at the midpoint. The Company raised full-year 2025 non-GAAP fully diluted earnings per share which is expected to be in a range of $12.33 to $12.53, representing 12% year over year growth at the midpoint. *The planned acquisition of Cognigy is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory approval, and therefore this guidance excludes any planned impact from this proposed transaction. Quarterly Results Conference Call NiCE management will host its earnings conference call today, August 14, 2025, at 8:30 AM ET, 13:30 GMT, 15:30 Israel, to discuss the results and the company's outlook. A live webcast and replay will be available on the Investor Relations page of the Company's website. To access, please register by clicking here: Explanation of Non-GAAP measures Non-GAAP financial measures are included in this press release. Non-GAAP financial measures consist of GAAP financial measures adjusted to exclude share-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition related and other expenses, amortization of discount on debt and the tax effect of the Non-GAAP adjustments. The Company believes that these Non-GAAP financial measures, used in conjunction with the corresponding GAAP measures, provide investors with useful supplemental information about the financial performance of our business. We believe Non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors as a measure of the ongoing performance of our business. Our management regularly uses our supplemental Non-GAAP financial measures internally to understand, manage and evaluate our business and to make financial, strategic and operating decisions. These Non-GAAP measures are among the primary factors management uses in planning for and forecasting future periods. Our Non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP measures and should be read only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. These Non-GAAP financial measures may differ materially from the Non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Reconciliation between results on a GAAP and Non-GAAP basis is provided in a table immediately following the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company provides guidance only on a Non-GAAP basis. A reconciliation of guidance from a GAAP to Non-GAAP basis is not available due to the unpredictability and uncertainty associated with future events that would be reported in GAAP results and would require adjustments between GAAP and Non-GAAP financial measures, including the impact of future possible business acquisitions. Accordingly, a reconciliation of the guidance based on Non-GAAP financial measures to corresponding GAAP financial measures for future periods is not available without unreasonable effort. About NiCE NiCE (NASDAQ: NICE) is transforming the world with AI that puts people first. Our purpose-built AI-powered platforms automate engagements into proactive, safe, intelligent actions, empowering individuals and organizations to innovate and act, from interaction to resolution. Trusted by organizations throughout 150+ countries worldwide, NiCE's platforms are widely adopted across industries connecting people, systems, and workflows to work smarter at scale, elevating performance across the organization, delivering proven measurable outcomes. Trademark Note: NiCE and the NiCE logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NICE. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners. For a full list of NiCE trademarks, please see: Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as 'believe', 'expect', 'seek', 'may', 'will', 'intend', 'should', 'project', 'anticipate', 'plan', and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the Company's management regarding the future of the Company's business, performance, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economic environment, and other future conditions. Examples of forward-looking statements include guidance regarding the Company's revenue and earnings and the growth of our cloud, analytics and artificial intelligence business. Forward looking statements are inherently subject to significant uncertainties, contingencies, and risks, including, economic, competitive and other factors, which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of management. The Company cautions that these statements are not guarantees of future performance, and investors should not place undue reliance on them. There are or will be important known and unknown factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors, include, but are not limited to, risks associated with changes in economic and business conditions, competition, successful execution of the Company's growth strategy, success and growth of the Company's cloud Software-as-a-Service business, difficulties in making additional acquisitions or effectively integrating acquired operations, products, technologies and personnel, the Company's dependency on third-party cloud computing platform providers, hosting facilities and service partners, rapid changes in technology and market requirements, the implementation of AI capabilities in certain products and services; decline in demand for the Company's products; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, loss of market share, cyber security attacks or other security incidents, privacy concerns and legislation impacting the Company's business, changes in currency exchange rates and interest rates, the effects of additional tax liabilities resulting from our global operations, the effect of unexpected events or geo-political conditions, including those arising from political instability or armed conflict that may disrupt our business and the global economy, our ability to recruit and retain qualified personnel, the effect of newly enacted or modified laws, regulation or standards on the Company and our products, and various other factors and uncertainties discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC'). You are encouraged to carefully review the section entitled 'Risk Factors' in our latest Annual Report on Form 20-F and our other filings with the SEC for additional information regarding these and other factors and uncertainties that could affect our future performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise them, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. NICE LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES U.S. dollars in thousands (except per share amounts) Quarter ended Year ended June 30, June 30, 2025 2024 2025 2024 Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Revenue: Cloud $ 540,822 $ 481,693 $ 1,067,145 $ 950,099 Services 140,480 147,611 280,683 296,524 Product 45,410 35,096 79,076 77,086 Total revenue 726,712 664,400 1,426,904 1,323,709 Cost of revenue: Cloud 185,971 170,702 365,445 340,680 Services 48,254 46,663 94,497 92,749 Product 7,376 7,418 13,739 14,023 Total cost of revenue 241,601 224,783 473,681 447,452 Gross profit 485,111 439,617 953,223 876,257 Operating expenses: Research and development, net 89,762 86,522 178,864 174,354 Selling and marketing 169,799 157,645 331,233 312,660 General and administrative 64,958 66,626 134,365 138,980 Total operating expenses 324,519 310,793 644,462 625,994 Operating income 160,592 128,824 308,761 250,263 Financial and other income, net (14,820 ) (15,645 ) (30,670 ) (29,654 ) Income before tax 175,412 144,469 339,431 279,917 Taxes on income (11,992 ) 28,684 22,737 57,759 Net income $ 187,404 $ 115,785 $ 316,694 $ 222,158 Earnings per share: Basic $ 3.01 $ 1.82 $ 5.05 $ 3.50 Diluted $ 2.96 $ 1.76 $ 4.97 $ 3.36 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 62,160 63,534 62,754 63,406 Diluted 63,210 65,856 63,785 66,192 NICE LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENTS U.S. dollars in thousands Quarter ended Year ended June 30, June 30, 2025 2024 2025 2024 Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Operating Activities Net income $ 187,404 $ 115,785 $ 316,694 $ 222,158 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 44,612 51,520 88,053 103,280 Share-based compensation 37,310 42,226 80,647 86,630 Amortization of premium and discount and accrued interest on marketable securities (2,029 ) (2,096 ) (4,304 ) (3,328 ) Deferred taxes, net (3,757 ) (15,773 ) (25,294 ) (11,407 ) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Trade Receivables, net (30,742 ) (6,707 ) (26,064 ) 1,430 Prepaid expenses and other current assets (14,846 ) 1,740 13,709 10,501 Operating lease right-of-use assets 2,929 3,372 8,826 6,653 Trade payables 21,884 17,702 (31,407 ) 6,939 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (158,979 ) (40,836 ) (109,461 ) (43,704 ) Deferred revenue (19,719 ) 4,742 49,855 50,281 Operating lease liabilities (746 ) (3,976 ) (10,935 ) (7,776 ) Amortization of discount on long-term debt 428 425 849 974 Other (2,427 ) 1,544 (4,775 ) 1,527 Net cash provided by operating activities 61,322 169,668 346,393 424,158 Investing Activities Purchase of property and equipment (4,579 ) (6,455 ) (8,246 ) (16,976 ) Purchase of Investments (24,687 ) (105,991 ) (74,141 ) (437,113 ) Proceeds from sales of marketable investments 76,416 51,971 134,774 568,121 Capitalization of internal use software costs (18,137 ) (15,238 ) (34,903 ) (31,174 ) Payments for business acquisitions, net of cash acquired - - (36,466 ) - Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 29,013 (75,713 ) (18,982 ) 82,858 Financing Activities Proceeds from issuance of shares upon exercise of options 333 520 1,008 2,312 Purchase of treasury shares (30,839 ) (146,088 ) (283,168 ) (187,603 ) Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest - - - (2,681 ) Repayment of debt - - - (87,435 ) Net cash used in financing activities (30,506 ) (145,568 ) (282,160 ) (275,407 ) Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents 5,139 (1,309 ) 6,286 (3,248 ) Net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 64,968 (52,922 ) 51,537 228,361 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period $ 471,601 $ 794,597 $ 485,032 $ 513,314 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $ 536,569 $ 741,675 $ 536,569 $ 741,675 Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported in the consolidated balance sheet: Cash and cash equivalents $ 535,050 $ 739,556 $ 535,050 $ 739,556 Restricted cash included in other current assets $ 1,519 $ 2,119 $ 1,519 $ 2,119 Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash shown in the statement of cash flows $ 536,569 $ 741,675 $ 536,569 $ 741,675 NICE LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES U.S. dollars in thousands (except per share amounts) Quarter ended Year to date June 30, June 30, 2025 2024 2025 2024 GAAP revenues $ 726,712 $ 664,400 $ 1,426,904 $ 1,323,709 Non-GAAP revenues $ 726,712 $ 664,400 $ 1,426,904 $ 1,323,709 GAAP cost of revenue $ 241,601 $ 224,783 $ 473,681 $ 447,452 Amortization of acquired intangible assets on cost of cloud (13,202 ) (24,133 ) (28,605 ) (49,500 ) Amortization of acquired intangible assets on cost of product - (150 ) - (410 ) Cost of cloud revenue adjustment (1,2) (3,293 ) (2,852 ) (6,471 ) (5,854 ) Cost of services revenue adjustment (1) (2,241 ) (2,617 ) (4,696 ) (4,995 ) Cost of product revenue adjustment (1) (21 ) (30 ) (43 ) (60 ) Non-GAAP cost of revenue $ 222,844 $ 195,001 $ 433,866 $ 386,633 GAAP gross profit $ 485,111 $ 439,617 $ 953,223 $ 876,257 Gross profit adjustments 18,757 29,782 39,815 60,819 Non-GAAP gross profit $ 503,868 $ 469,399 $ 993,038 $ 937,076 GAAP operating expenses $ 324,519 $ 310,793 $ 644,462 $ 625,994 Research and development (1,2) (3,178 ) (7,484 ) (7,871 ) (15,627 ) Sales and marketing (1,2) (13,258 ) (13,210 ) (28,672 ) (27,382 ) General and administrative (1,2) (16,924 ) (17,429 ) (36,482 ) (37,260 ) Amortization of acquired intangible assets (6,956 ) (4,972 ) (11,649 ) (10,211 ) Valuation adjustment on acquired deferred commission - 8 - 23 Non-GAAP operating expenses $ 284,203 $ 267,706 $ 559,788 $ 535,537 GAAP financial and other income, net $ (14,820 ) $ (15,645 ) $ (30,670 ) $ (29,654 ) Amortization of discount on debt (428 ) (425 ) (849 ) (974 ) Change in fair value of contingent consideration - (35 ) - (79 ) Non-GAAP financial and other income, net $ (15,248 ) $ (16,105 ) $ (31,519 ) $ (30,707 ) GAAP taxes on income $ (11,992 ) $ 28,684 $ 22,737 $ 57,759 Tax adjustments re non-GAAP adjustments 56,627 14,963 66,720 28,779 Non-GAAP taxes on income $ 44,635 $ 43,647 $ 89,457 $ 86,538 GAAP net income $ 187,404 $ 115,785 $ 316,694 $ 222,158 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 20,158 29,255 40,254 60,121 Valuation adjustment on acquired deferred commission - (8 ) - (23 ) Share-based compensation (1) 38,915 43,622 83,840 89,266 Acquisition related and other expenses (2) - - 395 1,912 Amortization of discount on debt 428 425 849 974 Change in fair value of contingent consideration - 35 - 79 Tax adjustments re non-GAAP adjustments (56,627 ) (14,963 ) (66,720 ) (28,779 ) Non-GAAP net income $ 190,278 $ 174,151 $ 375,312 $ 345,708 GAAP diluted earnings per share $ 2.96 $ 1.76 $ 4.97 $ 3.36 Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share $ 3.01 $ 2.64 $ 5.88 $ 5.22 Shares used in computing GAAP diluted earnings per share 63,210 65,856 63,785 66,192 Shares used in computing non-GAAP diluted earnings per share 63,210 65,856 63,785 66,192 NICE LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES U.S. dollars in thousands (1) Share-based compensation Quarter ended Year to date June 30, June 30, 2025 2024 2025 2024 Cost of cloud revenue $ 3,293 $ 2,852 $ 6,471 $ 5,792 Cost of services revenue 2,241 2,617 4,696 4,995 Cost of product revenue 21 30 43 60 Research and development 3,178 7,484 7,871 15,297 Sales and marketing 13,258 13,210 28,672 26,739 General and administrative 16,924 17,429 36,087 36,383 $ 38,915 $ 43,622 $ 83,840 $ 89,266 June 30, June 30, 2025 2024 2025 2024 Cost of cloud revenue $ - $ - $ - $ 62 Research and development - - - 330 Sales and marketing - - - 643 General and administrative - - 395 877 $ - $ - $ 395 $ 1,912 NICE LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES U.S. dollars in thousands Quarter ended Year to date June 30, June 30, 2025 2024 2025 2024 Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited GAAP net income $ 187,404 $ 115,785 $ 316,694 $ 222,158 Non-GAAP adjustments: Depreciation and amortization 44,612 51,520 88,053 103,280 Share-based compensation 37,310 42,226 80,647 86,630 Financial and other expense/ (income), net (14,820 ) (15,645 ) (30,670 ) (29,654 ) Acquisition related and other expenses - - 395 1,912 Valuation adjustment on acquired deferred commission - (8 ) - (23 ) Taxes on income (11,992 ) 28,684 22,737 57,759 Non-GAAP EBITDA $ 242,514 $ 222,562 $ 477,856 $ 442,062 (a) Free cash flow from continuing operations is defined as operating cash flows from continuing operations less capital expenditures of the continuing operations and less capitalization of internal use software costs.
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Prediction: 1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock That Could Join the Trillion-Dollar Club
Key Points AMD stock has to double less than twice to reach $1 trillion. Its growing success with AI accelerators could make it a stronger competitor in that market. 10 stocks we like better than Advanced Micro Devices › Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) has evolved into a semiconductor powerhouse in recent years. Under the leadership of Lisa Su, it overtook longtime rival Intel in the PC market. Although Nvidia 's success with the artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator market initially took AMD by surprise, AMD's efforts to catch up have made it an increasingly important company in that market. Such innovations have also made AMD a prime candidate to join the 10 companies that now have a market cap above $1 trillion. Here's how it can reach that milestone, and why the path might be easier to achieve than many investors might assume. Where AMD stands now At first glance, AMD might appear far away from that milestone since its $280 billion market cap means it is only 28% of the way toward that goal. However, that is not as far away from $1 trillion as it might appear. At the current market cap, it has to double in value less than two times to reach that point. Moreover, a simple increase in popularity could get AMD to that point. Although its 99 price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio might make it appear pricey, it currently sells at a forward P/E ratio of 44. Thus, if it achieves some of the popularity that has boosted Palantir, a stock that sells at 623 times its earnings, multiple expansion alone could take it there. Reaching $1 trillion through business growth More importantly, AMD is in a strong position to reach a $1 trillion market cap even if such hype does not materialize. The company's data center segment, which designs AI accelerators, generated just over $6.9 billion in revenue in the first half of 2025, around 46% of AMD's total. In comparison, Nvidia's data center segment made up 89% of the company's revenue in its most recent quarter. Admittedly, AMD is significantly behind Nvidia in the AI accelerator market, and while AMD's MI350 chip has generated some interest due to its lower cost, it is hardly a threat to Nvidia's dominance. However, AMD plans to release the MI400 next year. With its integration with AMD's upcoming Helios rack-scale solution, some analysts believe it can become a competitive threat to Nvidia's upcoming Vera Rubin platform. Nvidia's CUDA software, which has previously cemented its dominance, also faces increased competitive threats. Such conditions could mean AMD is on the way to becoming a full-fledged competitor in the AI market. Additionally, Grand View Research forecasts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29% through 2030, taking the market's size to an estimated $323 billion. If that prediction comes to pass, AMD will almost certainly benefit from that industry growth. Even if data center revenue becomes AMD's dominant revenue source, investors should not forget about the client, embedded, and gaming segments. Fortune Business Insights forecasts a CAGR of 15% for the semiconductor industry through 2032. That seems to affirm Grand View's findings, and the market rising above $2 trillion presents AMD with a massive tailwind. Finally, as conditions stand now, Nvidia has reached a market cap of just under $4.5 trillion, making AMD approximately 6% of its size. Hence, even if AMD grew to slightly less than one-fourth of Nvidia's size, its market cap would presumably reach $1 trillion or higher. AMD at $1 trillion (and beyond) Ultimately, AMD is on track to benefit from numerous catalysts that will likely take its market cap to $1 trillion and beyond. The company is less than two doubles away from reaching $1 trillion, meaning hype alone could take it to that milestone. Still, the growth of the semiconductor industry in general puts it on track to spark massive growth. Additionally, even though all four of AMD's segments will probably contribute to the company's growth, the path to $1 trillion will most likely hinge on the AI accelerator market, particularly with the upcoming release of the MI400. Even if it falls somewhat short of expectations, investors should remember that AMD can reach $1 trillion even if it grows to less than one-fourth of Nvidia's size. Such conditions make reaching a $1 trillion market cap easier than most investors are likely assuming. Should you invest $1,000 in Advanced Micro Devices right now? Before you buy stock in Advanced Micro Devices, 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 Advanced Micro Devices 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 $660,783!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,122,682!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,069% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 184% 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 August 13, 2025 Will Healy has positions in Advanced Micro Devices and Intel. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, Nvidia, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: short August 2025 $24 calls on Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Could Buying Energy Transfer Stock Today Set You Up for Life?
Key Points Energy Transfer has extensive natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and crude oil operations. The limited partnership's juicy distributions should continue to grow over time. Energy Transfer also has tremendous growth opportunities supplying natural gas for AI-focused data centers. 10 stocks we like better than Energy Transfer › Investing in hot technologies can be done in different ways. For example, when personal computers were first catching on, some investors bought software stocks rather than the stocks of PC makers. In the early days of the internet boom, some invested in networking stocks instead of highly volatile dot-com start-ups. A similar opportunity is available today with artificial intelligence (AI). You could bet on which AI stock you hope will be the biggest winner. However, some investors understand that AI models require massive amounts of power. And they know that the largest source of generating electricity in the U.S. is natural gas. The stocks of companies that transport and process natural gas should, therefore, be big winners as demand for AI surges. Enter Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET), one of the best natural gas stocks on the market. Could buying Energy Transfer stock today set you up for life? About Energy Transfer The first thing you should know about Energy Transfer is that it's a limited partnership (LP). One key benefit of investing in an LP is that it doesn't pay corporate income taxes. This can help investors avoid double taxation, where the company pays taxes on its profits and then pays dividends to unitholders who have to pay taxes on the dividends. If you want to profit from increased natural gas demand driven by AI, Energy Transfer is one of the top midstream companies in North America. Its natural gas pipelines generate roughly 19% of its total adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Operations related to natural gas liquids (NGLs) and refined products contribute 20% of adjusted EBITDA. Midstream assets, including natural gas gathering pipelines, kick in another 20%. Energy Transfer's pipelines transport around 32.4 million British thermal units (BTUs) of natural gas each day. The LP fractionates (separating NGLs into their components) in the ballpark of 1.15 million barrels per day of NGLs. And its facilities can store roughly 236 billion cubic feet of natural gas. However, Energy Transfer's business isn't limited to natural gas and NGLs. The company also transports around 7 million barrels per day of crude oil. Its Sunoco subsidiary primarily focuses on energy infrastructure and the distribution of motor fuels. Its USAC subsidiary provides compression services used in processing and transporting crude oil, in addition to natural gas. A pipeline to attractive total returns Energy Transfer has delivered a cumulative total return of around 300% over the last five years. The LP's distributions accounted for nearly half of that amount. Distributions should continue to play an important role in total returns for a long time to come. Energy Transfer's distribution yield (the LP version of dividend yield) currently stands at 7.59%. The company targets annual distribution growth of between 3% and 5%. Investors will likely enjoy more than just juicy distributions, though. Energy Transfer's unit price should also appreciate nicely as its adjusted EBITDA rises. Between 2020 and 2024, the midstream leader's adjusted EBITDA increased by a compound annual growth rate of 10%. Is that level of growth sustainable? Probably so. Energy Transfer has a significant project backlog that it believes will support long-term growth. In its second-quarter update, the company reported requests to connect to around 200 data centers in 15 states. It also had requests to connect to more than 60 power plants in 14 states. Perhaps the biggest indicator of how AI could boost Energy Transfer's fortunes over the long run is its agreement with CloudBurst to provide natural gas to data centers in central Texas. With this deal, Energy Transfer's pipelines will provide up to 450,000 million BTUs per day of natural gas to CloudBurst's AI-focused data center campus. Setting you up for life? With all this in mind, can investing in Energy Transfer set you up for life? Maybe. The answer to the question hinges largely on how much money is required to achieve the goal, which will vary from one person to the next. It also depends on how much money you can invest and what your investment time frame is. Whether or not buying Energy Transfer stock sets you up for life, it could be a profitable long-term investment. 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