The price-to-earnings ratio, once a lofty 39 – a figure that hinted at boundless optimism, or perhaps delusion – now sits at a mere 21. The lowest it has dared to venture. It’s as if the company, realizing its inflated reputation, has decided to feign modesty. A clever tactic, though one rarely seen in the corridors of high finance. At this price, one begins to suspect a genuine opportunity. Or, at least, a less ruinous gamble.
TMC USA, a subsidiary of TMC the metals company, has submitted what is characterized as the first consolidated exploration license and commercial recovery permit application under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) revised application process. The submission initiates a formal review, and should not be misconstrued as an indication of imminent approval.
Costco has, indeed, proven generous to its shareholders. A steady climb, a respectable return. But let us not confuse performance with magic. The siren song of a stock split is precisely that – a song, alluring but ultimately hollow. It’s a conjurer’s trick, diverting attention from the true engines of prosperity. A bit of accounting sleight of hand, nothing more.
The chronicles of MercadoLibre, as reconstructed from fragmented reports and analyst pronouncements, reveal a trajectory not merely of ascent, but of multiplication. It began, as so many things do, with the simple exchange of goods – a digital bazaar, if you will. But its ambition, it seems, is not confined to the mere facilitation of commerce. It aspires, according to certain whispers within the financial academies of Buenos Aires, to become a foundational layer of economic life in Latin America – a digital nervous system, if you will.
A circumstance, therefore, demanding a considered response. Is this a moment for judicious investment, or a signal to maintain a prudent distance?
They’re undergoing a transition, naturally. A new CEO, arriving in May 2025, which is roughly equivalent to a wizard taking over the accounts department at Unseen University. Things are…shifting. But the core business – the bit where they handle the flow of premiums and, eventually, pay out for things going wrong – remains stubbornly intact. Still, there are enough question marks hanging about like lost souls that a cautious investor might consider a brief pause before committing their gold… or, you know, dollars.
Scheduled for January 29th is a “Special Meeting” of shareholders. Special usually means someone needs something. In this case, it’s permission to issue more shares. More shares. The lifeblood of a company, or a slow drip to keep the patient alive just a little longer. Marsh will be making his case. A plea, really.
They’re not flashy. They don’t have the marketing budget of a small country. But they are building something genuinely useful, and their stock (RZLV +2.08%) has quietly soared over 30% this year. Which, let’s be honest, is a far better return than most of my dating life. They specialize in what’s called ‘agentic AI’ – basically, AI that can actually do things for retailers, not just generate pretty pictures. And it’s working. Really working.
Throughout the year, quarterly reports arrived, each a meticulously crafted document detailing the accumulation of coin – a process as natural to a bank as breathing, and almost as uninteresting. Yet, these reports, when viewed through the correct spectacles – those smudged with the dust of value investing and a healthy skepticism – revealed a consistency. The bank not only improved its revenue, but did so with a quiet, almost apologetic efficiency, consistently exceeding the expectations of those analysts who, one suspects, spend more time staring at flickering screens than understanding the true weight of capital.
The current fixation centers, predictably, on ‘artificial intelligence.’ A vast, nebulous concept, it serves as a convenient justification for investment, a shimmering mirage promising returns in exchange for capital. The following are presented not as recommendations, but as case studies in the mechanics of hope—and the subtle, inevitable disappointments that lie within.