Stock Markets
Nebraska files antitrust lawsuit against heavy-duty truck makers over EV push
By David Shepardson
(Reuters) -Nebraska Attorney General Michael Hilgers on Tuesday filed an antitrust lawsuit against some of the largest heavy-duty truck manufacturers accusing them of limiting the availability of diesel-powered semi-trucks in a shift to clean electric trucks.
The lawsuit says the truck makers are engaged in “an industry-wide conspiracy” to phase out medium and heavy-duty internal combustion vehicles, driven by California’s green regulations that aim to eventually end production of such semi-trucks.
The attorney general filed suit in state court against Daimler (OTC:); Navistar (NYSE:), a unit of Volkswagen (ETR:)’s Traton; Paccar (NASDAQ:); Volvo (OTC:) Group North America; and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association.
“Eliminating diesel-powered semi-trucks is practically impossible to accomplish and would impose enormous costs,” Hilgers said. “These manufacturers’ collusion will raise prices, reduce output, increase costs on Nebraskans, and is a classic antitrust violation.”
The lawsuit takes aim at a July 2023 deal reached between California Air Resources Board and major truck manufacturers and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association that gave the industry flexibility to meet emissions requirements.
The companies agreed to meet California’s vehicle standards “regardless of whether any other entity challenges California’s authority to set more stringent emissions standards,” CARB said at the time.
CARB and Paccar declined to comment. The other companies and the association did not immediately comment.
In March 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved California’s plans to require a rising number of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks. California is still awaiting EPA approval for its Advanced Clean Fleets regulations on phasing in use of zero emission medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, and light-duty package delivery vehicles. The rule would require manufacturers to only manufacture ZEV medium- and heavy-duty trucks starting in 2036.
In May, Nebraska and 15 other states sued CARB over its clean fleets rule.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said last year that half of all heavy duty trucks sold in California will be electric by 2035. The state plans to mandate by 2045 that all operations of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles be zero emission where feasible.
Stock Markets
Snowflake unveils Power Platform connector at Ignite
CHICAGO – Snowflake Inc . (NYSE: NYSE:), an AI Data Cloud company, announced a new Power Platform connector in collaboration with Microsoft (NASDAQ:), enhancing data sharing capabilities for enterprise AI application development. Revealed at Microsoft Ignite, the connector facilitates bidirectional data flow between Microsoft’s Dataverse and Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud.
The integration aims to streamline the creation of custom applications on the Microsoft Power Platform, which includes low-code/no-code services and Dynamics 365. With this connector, developers can now access Snowflake data directly within Power Apps, reducing the need for custom workflows and coding. This is expected to significantly cut resource management and infrastructure handling time for IT and analytics leaders, allowing a focus on high-volume transactions and near real-time analytics.
Christian Kleinerman, EVP of Product at Snowflake, emphasized the shared vision with Microsoft to provide customers with deeper data insights and to eliminate data silos. He highlighted the importance of this integration in the AI era, as it allows the building of AI applications without data movement, enhancing collaboration and productivity.
Charles Lamanna, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, also noted the benefits of this integration for developers, including improved productivity, IT security, and governance, along with added business value.
The connector is currently in public preview for data access from Snowflake AI Data Cloud to Dataverse and the Microsoft Power Platform. Access from Dataverse to Snowflake is slated for early 2025.
Earlier this year, Snowflake and Microsoft also announced bidirectional data access between Snowflake AI Data Cloud and Microsoft Fabric through Apache Iceberg™.
This development is based on a press release statement and contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, as detailed in Snowflake’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these statements.
In other recent news, Snowflake Inc. reported a 30% year-over-year increase in product revenue, reaching $829 million for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, and subsequently raised its full-year product revenue outlook. Loop Capital has reiterated its Buy rating for Snowflake, indicating that the company’s performance may surpass the product revenue estimate of $856 million, marking a 29.5% growth. On the other hand, Rosenblatt Securities has maintained its Buy rating and a price target of $180, expecting the company to either meet or slightly surpass the projected organic growth rate of approximately 26% year-over-year for Q3 Product Revenue.
Snowflake also completed a significant $2.3 billion convertible debt offering. Analyst firms such as Citi and Piper Sandler have maintained their Buy and Overweight ratings respectively, but adjusted their price targets to $183 and $165. Monness Crespi Hardt upgraded Snowflake from Neutral to Buy with a new price target of $140, while Evercore ISI and Goldman Sachs maintained positive stances on Snowflake, with price targets of $170 and $220 respectively.
In terms of product innovation, Snowflake has announced several enhancements to its data platform and new AI features. These advancements aim to simplify the creation of conversational apps, improve data readiness, and enable enterprises to process large inference jobs with guaranteed throughput. These are all recent developments for Snowflake, indicating a commitment to improved execution and quicker product innovation.
InvestingPro Insights
As Snowflake Inc. (NYSE: SNOW) continues to innovate and expand its partnerships, particularly with tech giant Microsoft, it’s crucial to examine the company’s financial health and market position. According to InvestingPro data, Snowflake boasts a substantial market capitalization of $43.05 billion, reflecting its significant presence in the AI and cloud computing space.
The company’s revenue growth remains strong, with a 31.21% increase over the last twelve months, reaching $3.2 billion. This robust top-line expansion aligns with Snowflake’s strategic moves, such as the new Power Platform connector, which aims to enhance data sharing capabilities and potentially drive further revenue growth.
However, it’s important to note that Snowflake is currently not profitable, with an adjusted operating income of -$1.25 billion over the last twelve months. This is reflected in the company’s negative P/E ratio of -41.91. Despite this, InvestingPro Tips reveal that analysts predict the company will become profitable this year, which could be a positive sign for investors considering the stock’s long-term potential.
Another InvestingPro Tip highlights that Snowflake holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, potentially providing financial flexibility as it continues to invest in product development and partnerships. This strong cash position could be particularly valuable as the company works towards profitability and expands its AI-driven offerings.
For investors seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers additional tips and insights that could provide a deeper understanding of Snowflake’s financial position and growth prospects. In fact, there are 6 more InvestingPro Tips available for Snowflake, offering a broader perspective on the company’s valuation, management strategies, and market performance.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.
Stock Markets
Rubrik launches Azure Blob Storage security solution
CHICAGO – Rubrik, Inc. (NYSE: RBRK), a company specializing in data security, announced today the launch of its new cyber resilience service for Microsoft (NASDAQ:) Azure Blob Storage. This service aims to enhance visibility and security for cloud data, addressing the increasing reliance of organizations on cloud storage solutions.
Azure Blob Storage is a critical service for various industries, offering secure object storage for a range of applications including archives, data lakes, and AI training models. Despite its widespread use, Rubrik’s research indicates that object storage in the cloud often receives less security attention compared to on-premises and SaaS data. Rubrik’s new service seeks to fill this security gap, with features that autonomously discover, classify, and monitor sensitive data, assess security postures, and provide early warnings of potential threats.
Simpson Strong-Tie, a company in the construction sector, has endorsed Rubrik’s solutions. John Meng, VP of IT Infrastructure & Operations at Simpson Strong-Tie, highlighted the importance of comprehensive data protection and cyber resilience provided by Rubrik, emphasizing the safeguarding of sensitive information for their employees and customers.
Rubrik’s announcement extends its ongoing collaboration with Microsoft, which has included comprehensive management of Microsoft 365, integration with Microsoft Sentinel, and participation in the Microsoft Content AI Partner Program. The company was also named the 2024 Microsoft Healthcare Partner of the Year.
The new data protection capabilities for Microsoft Azure Blob Storage by Rubrik are now generally available. This initiative is part of Rubrik’s broader mission to secure the world’s data through its Zero Trust Data Security™ platform. The platform is designed to help organizations maintain data integrity, monitor threats, and recover from cyberattacks.
This development is based on a press release statement from Rubrik, Inc.
In other recent news, data security firm Rubrik Inc. has been making significant strides with strong earnings and revenue results. The company’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) exceeded expectations, leading to upward revisions of the fiscal year 2025 ARR and margin guidance. Rubrik also expanded its market presence by acquiring a company specializing in cyber resilience and AI-driven recovery. The company’s cyber recovery solutions now support Nutanix (NASDAQ:) AHV, a widely-used virtualization platform, enhancing cyber resilience and accelerating forensic investigations after cyberattacks.
Analysts have been closely following these developments. Truist Securities raised its price target on Rubrik from $43.00 to $50.00, maintaining a Buy rating. Citi reaffirmed a Buy rating on Rubrik, expressing confidence in the company’s revenue and ARR growth prospects. Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Rubrik with a Perform rating, citing the company’s potential but expressing concerns about its current operating loss due to heavy investment. Piper Sandler maintained an Overweight rating despite recent market underperformance linked to a Department of Justice subpoena and troubling news involving a former employee.
These are the recent developments for Rubrik Inc., reflecting the company’s robust financial performance and strategic initiatives in the data security field.
InvestingPro Insights
Rubrik’s (NYSE: RBRK) recent launch of its cyber resilience service for Microsoft Azure Blob Storage aligns with the company’s strong growth trajectory. According to InvestingPro data, Rubrik’s revenue growth stands at an impressive 24.7% over the last twelve months, with quarterly revenue growth even higher at 35.25%. This robust growth underscores the increasing demand for Rubrik’s data security solutions in the cloud storage market.
An InvestingPro Tip indicates that analysts anticipate sales growth in the current year, which is consistent with the company’s expansion of services and partnerships, particularly with Microsoft. This positive outlook is further supported by the fact that 10 analysts have revised their earnings upwards for the upcoming period, suggesting confidence in Rubrik’s business model and market position.
Despite the company’s strong revenue growth, it’s worth noting that Rubrik is not currently profitable, with a negative operating income margin of -142.11%. However, this is not uncommon for high-growth technology companies investing heavily in expansion and product development. The company’s gross profit margin of 69.32% indicates a strong underlying business model, which could lead to profitability as the company scales.
For investors seeking more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers additional tips and insights. Currently, there are 8 more InvestingPro Tips available for Rubrik, providing a deeper understanding of the company’s financial health and market position.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.
Stock Markets
US bank regulator Gruenberg to retire in January ahead of Trump presidency
By Pete Schroeder
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Martin Gruenberg told colleagues Tuesday he would retire from the agency effective January 19, clearing the way for President-elect Donald Trump to name new leadership to the agency.
In a message sent to employees at the FDIC, one of the country’s top bank regulators, Gruenberg said he had informed President Joe Biden of his decision.
“It has been the greatest honor of my career to serve at the FDIC. I have especially valued the privilege of working with the dedicated public servants who carry out the critically important mission of this agency,” he wrote.
The pending departure of Gruenberg, a Democrat and Wall Street critic who had been a senior leader at the FDIC for nearly two decades, comes at a critical time for the agency – more than 18 months since three big banks failed and and ahead of what is expected to be a major shake up of bank regulation under Trump.
Gruenberg had clung to his job since November 2023 when a Wall Street Journal report exposed widespread misconduct at the FDIC. The report was confirmed by a damning external review which also called into question Gruenberg’s leadership.
Upon his departure, FDIC chair role will pass to Travis Hill, the agency’s vice chair and a Republican who Trump transition officials are also considering for the top job permanently, Reuters reported this month.
Gruenberg, 71, had been at the FDIC since 2005 and is the longest-serving FDIC board member in the agency’s 89-year history. During that time he served as its chair twice – once under President Barack Obama and the second under Joe Biden.
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