What say you, then? Should one buy into the grand spectacle that is Lucid Motors? Might we dare to dream that the company’s future will shimmer in the electric glow of progress? Let us examine, in the manner of any good play, two acts that might guide our decision.
The path is not one that demands the hurried, clumsy footfall of a speculative gambler. No, investing-true investing-is a methodical, almost artful pursuit. A choice which, over time, has proven itself as an irreplaceable means for the creation of wealth. And the avenue of exchange-traded funds (ETFs)-oh, how they stand, quiet, unassuming, yet filled with potential-is the epitome of such an art. They demand neither your constant attention nor your daily worries, while quietly curating a portfolio of stocks in their care. A masterpiece slowly but surely taking shape.
In this tale of two companies-Quantum Computing Inc. (QUBT), the upstart dreamer, and Nvidia (NVDA), the seasoned titan-we shall peel back the layers of hype and examine what lies beneath. Are these companies building castles in the sky, or do they offer tools that might one day lighten the burdens of the weary worker? Let us delve deeper, with clear eyes and skeptical hearts.
In case you were living under a rock (or, you know, genuinely enjoying your holiday), analyst Shane Brett from Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) made his big move over Labor Day: he downgraded Lam Research’s stock from “equalweight” (read: “hold, for now”) to “underweight” (aka “sell, ASAP”). All that optimism? Gone. With his decision, Brett also shaved off a couple of bucks from his price target, now sitting at $92 a share instead of $94. You can almost hear the sound of calculators tapping away in the background.
Of the twin deals struck by Thermo Fisher, one stands out like a cryptic tome in a forgotten archive: the $4 billion acquisition of Solventum’s purification and filtration business. Solventum, once part of the industrial colossus 3M, now passes into the hands of Thermo Fisher through an all-cash transaction-a sum so vast it might have been plucked from the dreams of alchemists.
Before the opening bell had even rung-indeed, before most brokers had finished their morning coffee-a certain Mr. C.J. Muse of Cantor Fitzgerald emerged from the wings with all the flair of Jeeves presenting a perfectly ironed cravat. He announced, with great aplomb, that his price target for Broadcom would ascend from $300 to $350 per share. One might say it leapt higher than Bertie Wooster attempting to avoid Aunt Agatha’s disapproving glare.
Consider, then, the curious case of the Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund ETF (VXUS), a globe-trotting contraption that excludes America’s glittering jewels. A decade ago, a $1,000 wager on this cosmopolitan venture would now yield $1,540-a result as unremarkable as a monochrome portrait. But reinvest the dividends, and the sum swells to $2,070, a 7.6% annualized return. One might call it the difference between a polite nod and a grand flourish.
ARR, as defined by PTC itself, represents “the annualized value of our portfolio of active subscription software, SaaS, hosting, and support contracts.” It is not merely a number but a reflection of what the company invoices its patrons each year-a numerical simulacrum of its vitality. For those who peer into this mirror, the image reveals more than meets the eye. Management has declared that free cash flow will grow faster than ARR over the mid-term, with non-GAAP operating expenses pacing at roughly half the rate of ARR. This declaration, like an ancient prophecy etched on stone tablets, hints at wealth yet unseen.
August, that languid yet strangely vital month, breathed a modest 1.58% increase into the index’s form-a number, one might say, as fleeting as a summer breeze. Yet amid that gentle swell, there emerged three illustrious characters-Intel (INTC), Applovin (APP), and IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX)-each finishing with at least 21% added to their stature, as if propelled by unseen spirits of chance and hope.
Now, before you start imagining robots running around handing out policies like it’s some sort of futuristic Wild West, let’s get down to brass tacks. This company managed to bring in $164.1 million in the second quarter of 2025-a 35% increase from the year before. The kind of growth that gets the investors tapping their feet. And you know that all-important metric in the insurance business, the one they talk about over whiskey at the golf course? In-force premium-up by 29%. A good sign that business is picking up, and no one’s getting too miserly with their wallets. They also shaved down their net loss ratio from 79% to 69%. This means they’re paying out fewer claims than they were before, a real miracle in the insurance business if I’ve ever seen one. The cherry on top? They only lost 60 cents per share-down from 81 cents a year ago. Sure, they’re still losing money, but at least they’re losing it more efficiently.