US Stocks prediction

The initial fervor surrounding AI has fixated, predictably, on the silicon chip – the visible engine of this new age. This has created a myopia, a dangerous oversight, blinding investors to the companies quietly constructing the underlying skeleton, the very sinews that will support the weight of this burgeoning intelligence. Among these, one entity – Brookfield Infrastructure (BIPC +2.01%)(BIP +1.22%) – has begun to distinguish itself, a slow, deliberate progress documented over the past year.

Three principal forces have combined to elevate FTAI’s standing. First, a partnership forged with Palantir, a purveyor of artificial intelligence. It is a curious alliance, this joining of the tangible world of engines and turbines with the ethereal realm of algorithms and data. Palantir’s offering, their ‘Artificial Intelligence Platform’, promises to bring order to the chaos of inventory, scheduling, and maintenance – a digital hand to guide the mechanics. One cannot help but wonder, however, if this reliance on artificial intellect will ultimately strengthen or diminish the skill and judgment of those who truly understand the workings of these machines. The true test will be whether this partnership yields genuine efficiency, or merely a new layer of complexity and cost.

These whispers, predictably, solidified into action. Netflix launched a bid for Warner Bros. in December, followed by a rival offer, unsolicited, as if attempting to seize a prize already promised. The ensuing weeks were a spectacle, a ballet of billions, played out on the unforgiving stage of Wall Street. Even a respectable fourth-quarter report, a solid performance by any measure, proved insufficient to stem the tide. It is a lesson, perhaps, that in the age of streaming, mere competence is often overlooked in favor of grand, if ultimately illusory, ambition.

Yet, within this apparent disarray lies an opportunity, a chance to acquire these digital tokens at a price less inflated by the fevered imaginings of the multitude. For, let us not forget, volatility is their very nature. They have endured setbacks before, only to ascend to heights previously deemed unattainable. A most capricious temperament, but one that, with a modicum of reason, may be exploited.

ETFs. Exchange-Traded Funds. A way to spread a bet without getting your hands too dirty. Three caught my eye. Vanguard, State Street, and SPDR. They’re not miracles, but they’re a start. A way to play the current hand without betting the ranch.

The SEC filing landed on February 2nd. Central Trust Co. bought in. A significant block. $177 million doesn’t buy a whisper in this town; it buys a shout. A calculated shout, I suspect.

Fluor, in a moment of speculative audacity, became an early patron of NuScale, a company attempting to condense the awesome power of the atom into manageable, modular units. The hope, naturally, is to become a favored artisan in the construction of these futuristic power plants. A collaboration is underway in Romania, where a utility contemplates adorning the landscape with a sextet of these miniature reactors. A charming prospect, to be sure. However, Fluor is currently engaged in the rather prosaic act of monetizing its NuScale investment, having already extracted $605 million in late 2025. A further divestment is planned for 2026. A pleasant windfall, undoubtedly, but hardly a tectonic shift in the company’s fundamental disposition. It is, one might say, a temporary embellishment to an otherwise sturdy, if somewhat predictable, balance sheet.

It is a curious thing, this human desire for a ‘third place’ – neither home nor work, but a sanctuary in between. Starbucks, in its ambition, once sought to fill this void. Yet, in the relentless march of digitization, the very notion of such a place seemed to fade, a quaint anachronism in a world obsessed with immediacy. Niccol, however, appears to be revisiting this concept, not by clinging to the past, but by reshaping it, by acknowledging the evolving needs of a clientele accustomed to swiftness and convenience. He does not seek to be the third place, but to facilitate the experience of finding one’s own.

But here’s the thing: the company actually did pretty well. Revenue was up a robust 22% to $201 million. Q4? Even more enthusiastic – 24% growth. And they’re forecasting even more enthusiasm in Q1 – between 26% and 34%. Which, in the current market, is basically a victory parade. They’re predicting more growth, which, frankly, feels a little… optimistic? Like ordering a size small after Thanksgiving.

Indeed, a few amongst Berkshire’s treasures currently present opportunities for the astute investor. Herein, I present three – not as recommendations, mind you, but as observations for those with the wit to appreciate them.