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SpaceX to launch sixth Starship test from Texas, with Trump attending

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By Joey Roulette

(Reuters) – Elon Musk’s SpaceX is set on Tuesday to launch the sixth test of its giant Starship rocket from Texas, eyeing improvements in its hypersonic reentry into Earth’s atmosphere and a novel technique for landing its booster, as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump watches in person.

Trump is expected to be joined by his son Donald Jr. and Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz at the launch of Starship scheduled for 4 p.m. CT (2200 GMT) from SpaceX’s sprawling rocket development site in Boca Chica, Texas, according to two people familiar with the president-elect’s plans. 

The roughly 400-foot (122-meter) tall rocket system is designed to land astronauts on the moon and ferry crews to Mars. The first stage, called Super Heavy, on Tuesday is due to boost Starship into space before returning to land, while Starship travels around Earth for a planned daytime splashdown in the Indian Ocean some 90 minutes later.

In a launch last month, Starship’s first stage booster returned to land for the first time by falling into giant mechanical arms at the launch site, a key step in its reusable design.

Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, was a prominent supporter of Trump’s presidential election campaign, appearing with him at rallies and backing him with roughly $130 million in political support. Musk stands to benefit from Trump’s victory, with the billionaire entrepreneur expected to wield extraordinary influence to help his companies and secure favorable government treatment. 

Trump on Nov. 13 appointed Musk as co-leader of a new government efficiency project that the SpaceX founder and Tesla (NASDAQ:) CEO has said will rid the federal government of wasteful spending and regulations he has called burdensome. 

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s regulation of commercial rocket launches has been a source of frustration for Musk, who has complained that the agency impedes his company’s progress in getting to Mars.

Musk on Tuesday listed four core objectives for the test flight – restarting Starship’s space-tailored engine during flight – key for its in-space maneuverability – and making a more visible ocean landing during the daytime, while past attempts have been at night.

Super Heavy’s return to its launch-tower arms and Starship’s atmospheric reentry on the other side of the world will be faster and more intense, Musk added.

“There are thousands of small design changes also being tested,” Musk said.

Using large arms attached to a launch tower, SpaceX will again try to catch Starship’s 233 foot (71-meter)-tall first stage Super Heavy booster roughly 10 minutes after it lifts off, an engineering spectacle that intrigued Trump the first time SpaceX tried it in October.

“Did you see the way that sucker landed today?” Trump asked the crowd at a political rally after that Starship test.

© Reuters. SpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket is prepared for launch at the company's Boca Chica launch pad in Brownsville, Texas, U.S., November 18, 2024. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo

SpaceX is eyeing swift advances in Starship development during a second Trump administration. The administration’s space agenda is expected to give NASA’s Artemis program, which is due to return astronauts to the lunar surface, a greater focus on the more ambitious goal of landing people on Mars, Musk’s premier space aspiration.

“We just passed 400 launches on Falcon, and I would not be surprised if we fly 400 Starship launches in the next four years,” SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said at the Baron Investment Conference in New York last week, referring to the company’s workhorse rocket.

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Snowflake unveils Power Platform connector at Ignite

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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.

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Rubrik launches Azure Blob Storage security solution

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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.

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US bank regulator Gruenberg to retire in January ahead of Trump presidency

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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.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Martin Gruenberg, acting chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), attends a briefing about the bank and thrift industry earnings for the second quarter 2011 at FDIC headquarters in Washington August 23, 2011. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File photo

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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