John Deere’s Farm Bots are Coming

Hundreds of investing and finance newsletters hit my (and maybe your) inbox every week. This is the best of the best.

This week, we bring you

Alcohol Stocks Stumble on SG’s Warning

​via Yahoo Finance​

Shares of major alcohol companies took a hit after the US Surgeon General linked alcohol to cancer, stating it’s the third leading cause of preventable cancer in the US.

While most stocks recovered slightly, the incoming administration’s stance remains uncertain. ​The report calls for warning labels similar to those on cigarettes.​

Dell’s Desperate Attempt to Revive PC Sales

​via The Average Joe​

Dell is following Apple’s lead by simplifying its product lineup and adopting names like Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max. While Dell’s stock has grown nearly 55% in the past year, this growth has been driven by its AI server business, not its struggling PC division.

The move has been met with skepticism, with many questioning Dell’s originality and pointing out the ​obvious parallels to Apple’s naming convention.​

Arbe and Nvidia Steer Self-Driving Tech

​via The New Money​

Arbe Robotics and Nvidia have announced a new partnership aimed at developing breakthroughs in radar-based free space mapping for self-driving capabilities and real-time safety applications.

Arbe will integrate its cloud data into Nvidia’s purpose-built DRIVE AGX computing platform for autonomous vehicles. ​The collaboration aims to tackle one of self-driving’s biggest challenges:​ identifying small obstacles and hazardous objects in poor visibility conditions.

John Deere’s Big, Green, AI Machines

​via Sherwood News​

John Deere unveiled a new lineup of autonomous tractors and trucks at CES 2025. The company’s CTO emphasized the lack of skilled workers as a key driver behind this move.

John Deere sees AI as a necessary solution to sustain agricultural productivity with a dwindling workforce. ​The company set an ambitious goal of fully autonomous farming by 2030.​

Perpetua’s Exclusive Antimony Deal

​via The New Money​

Perpetua Resources received the green light from the US Forest Service to advance their Stibnite Gold Project in Idaho. The approval comes after China cut off all further exports of the mineral, essential for military manufacturing.

The project is expected to produce 450,000 ounces of gold annually, making Perpetua Resources the only publicly traded company in North America with ​official approval to develop a domestic antimony resource at scale.​

Meta’s Fact-Checkers Struck by Sudden Axing

​via WIRED​

Meta’s fact-checking partners were caught off guard by the company’s abrupt decision to abandon third-party fact-checking on its platforms. The move left these organizations scrambling to figure out how to survive the funding gap.

Meta’s decision to rely on an X-style Community Notes model instead has drawn criticism from ​fact-checkers who argue that crowdsourcing still requires expert input.​

What I’m reading

I get a lot of mail asking where I find all this good stuff. Here are a few of my favorite newsletters, all of which are free to subscribe to:

​Trends.vc​

5-minute reports on AI, Crypto, and more for those looking to start their own business.

​Techpresso​

The most important tech news and insights. Join 80,000+ early adopters staying ahead of the curve, for free.

​Unicorner​

2-minute rundowns of exciting startups every Monday morning.

Stock ideas

Here are three of my favorites from this past week.

Analysis provided by ​public.com​.

Remember to always DYOR.

Matrix Service(MTRX)

Bullish Case

  • Significant Growth Potential: Matrix Service is well-positioned for substantial growth, with a $1.4 billion backlog and 2025 revenue guidance of $900-950 million.
  • Undervalued Given Market Exposure: Matrix Service appears undervalued considering its exposure to high-demand natural gas and power markets.
  • Return to Profitability Expected: Management anticipates a return to profitability in 2025, with a likely upward guidance revision in Q1.

Bearish Case

  • Regulatory Uncertainty: While the rollback of LNG regulations by the new administration could be a significant catalyst, there is still uncertainty around the timing.
  • Customer Hesitancy: Recent earnings call commentary suggests that customers have wavered due to election and regulatory uncertainty.

​Full analysis​

Usio Inc (USIO)

Bullish Case

  • Innovative Payments Solutions: Usio’s diversified payment offerings, position it well in the evolving fintech landscape.
  • Major Customer Wins: Usio recently secured a significant $20 million+ ARR PayFac deal. Management expects this and new PayFac deals to drive future growth.
  • Strong Financials and Valuation: With a $6 price target based on 1.4x 2025 revenue and a 58% discount to peers, Usio appears undervalued given its growth prospects.

Bearish Case

  • Regulatory and Security Risks: Usio faces regulatory risks and potential cybersecurity threats now common in the industry.
  • Near-Term Growth Challenges: Macroeconomic uncertainties and competitive pressures could affect Usio’s ability to meet quarterly targets consistently.

​Full analysis​

Talkspace(TALK)

Bullish Case

  • Positive Earnings Inflection: Talkspace achieved positive adjusted EBITDA in Q3 and expects high-teens to low-twenties EBITDA growth this year.
  • Attractive Valuation: TALK trades at approximately 20x EV/EBITDA, which is compelling given its strong growth potential and increasing cash flow generation.
  • Strong Balance Sheet and Buybacks: Well-positioned with 22% of its market cap in net cash and a recently approved $25 million share buyback program.

Bearish Case

  • Execution Risk: As a former SPAC, Talkspace’s success heavily relies on the effective execution of its growth strategy.
  • Regulatory and Reimbursement Uncertainties: Changes in healthcare regulations or reimbursement policies could affect Talkspace’s business model and profitability.

​Full analysis​

That’s it for this week.

If you write amazing content and want to be featured, please send it through for consideration.

Cheers,

Wyatt

Disclosures

  • There are affiliate links above; we’ll get a couple of bucks if you take action after you click.
  • Nothing above is financial advice. DYOR, you filthy animal.

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Author

Picture of Wyatt Cavalier

Wyatt Cavalier

With a background in finance & intelligence analysis, Wyatt has an unhealthy obsession with finding the best blue chip investment opportunities. His previous newsletter, Fractional, resonated deeply with subscribers, bringing actionable insights and unconventional trading strategies. His rare book collection specializes in banned editions. He currently lives in Spain with his beautiful wife, three young boys, and dog Monty.

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