In today’s briefing:
- Intel (INTC.US): Qualcomm CEO Has Publicly Stated that Intel’s Technology Is Still Not Competitive.
- Bath & Body Works in College Bookstores: Can This Bold Move Capture Gen Z?
- Boston Scientific in MedSurg: Will Double-Digit Growth Silence Competitors?
- Cadence Strikes Big: What The €2.7 Billion Hexagon Acquisition Means For The Future Of System Design!
- Freeport-McMoRan Taps Advanced Leaching Tech—Could This Be Its Secret Weapon?
- Gap Enters Beauty Battle: Will Makeup Save The Brand?
- GMS: Strategic Expansion in Complementary Product Offerings to Drive Incremental Revenue Growth Over The Coming Years!
- Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Revealed: What Competitor Bankruptcies Mean for Its Expansion Plans!
- Plexus’ Global Strategy: Will Diversification Across Industries Guarantee Long-Term Growth?
- Robert Half International: An Insight Into Its Protiviti Growth
Intel (INTC.US): Qualcomm CEO Has Publicly Stated that Intel’s Technology Is Still Not Competitive.
- Intel Corp (INTC US) has not given up on Intel Foundry Service (IFS), even though it currently lacks any sizable clients.
- We are puzzled as to why Intel former CEO Pat Gelsinger insisted on entering the foundry market, which has so far weakened Intel’s financials without generating meaningful returns.
- Qualcomm Inc (QCOM US) CEO has publicly stated that Intel’s manufacturing technology is still not competitive.
Bath & Body Works in College Bookstores: Can This Bold Move Capture Gen Z?
- Bath & Body Works presented its financial performance for the second quarter of 2025, reflecting a strategic focus on customer-centric growth initiatives.
- The company reported net sales of $1.5 billion, up 1.5% compared to the previous year, alongside adjusted earnings per diluted share of $0.37.
- The sales growth was led by robust store traffic and successful promotional activity during their semiannual sale, which was strategically shifted to align with market dynamics and consumer behavior.
Boston Scientific in MedSurg: Will Double-Digit Growth Silence Competitors?
- Boston Scientific Corporation delivered robust financial results in the second quarter of 2025, exceeding both market expectations and its own guidance.
- The company reported operational sales growth of 22% and organic sales growth of 17%, surpassing its forecasted range of 13% to 15%.
- Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) increased by 23% to $0.75, also exceeding expectations.
Cadence Strikes Big: What The €2.7 Billion Hexagon Acquisition Means For The Future Of System Design!
- Cadence Design Systems has turned heads with a definitive agreement to acquire Hexagon AB’s Design & Engineering unit—including the storied MSC Software—for €2.7 billion, paid 70% in cash and 30% in CDNS stock, with closing targeted for Q1’26.
- The incoming business generated ~$280 million of 2024 revenue, brings ~1,100 employees, and serves blue-chip aerospace and auto names such as Volkswagen Group, BMW, Toyota, Lockheed Martin, BAE, and Boeing.
- Strategically, the deal extends Cadence’s “Intelligent System Design” vision beyond chips and boards into the full palette of multiphysics—structures, motion, fluids, and electromagnetics—precisely where AI-era systems are converging.
Freeport-McMoRan Taps Advanced Leaching Tech—Could This Be Its Secret Weapon?
- Freeport-McMoRan reported robust results for its second quarter of 2025, marked by significant sales volumes of both copper and gold which exceeded initial forecasts.
- The company benefited from higher copper prices, registering an average realization of over $4.50 per pound, and delivering quarterly EBITDA of $3.2 billion.
- Operating cash flows were also strong at $2.2 billion.
Gap Enters Beauty Battle: Will Makeup Save The Brand?
- Gap Inc. is moving beyond basics into blushes and body mists.
- Starting this fall, Old Navy will roll out an expanded beauty and personal-care assortment in roughly 150 stores, with most items priced under $25 and a curated mix that includes Old Navy–branded skincare and body care alongside names like e.l.f., Mario Badescu, and Korean beauty staples TonyMoly and Mixik.
- About 45 of those doors will feature dedicated beauty shops staffed with advisers, while the remaining locations will merchandise assortments through enhanced checkout lanes.
GMS: Strategic Expansion in Complementary Product Offerings to Drive Incremental Revenue Growth Over The Coming Years!
- GMS Inc.’s latest earnings for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025 reflects a mixed performance amidst a challenging macroeconomic environment.
- On the positive side, the company reported net sales of $1.3 billion for the quarter, which aligns with the high end of their expectations provided earlier in the year.
- The sales were bolstered by recent acquisitions, including Kamco, Yvon Building Supply, R.S. Elliott, and Howard & Sons Building Materials, which contributed positively to their revenue.
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Revealed: What Competitor Bankruptcies Mean for Its Expansion Plans!
- The latest financial results of Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc. reflect both accomplishments and challenges for the company in the second quarter of fiscal 2025.
- The company reported an 18% increase in net sales, reaching $680 million, driven by new and expanded store operations and a rise in comparable store sales by 5%.
- This growth highlights the success of the company’s strategic focus on expansion and customer acquisition, particularly through its Ollie’s Army loyalty program, which saw membership increase by over 10% to 16.1 million.
Plexus’ Global Strategy: Will Diversification Across Industries Guarantee Long-Term Growth?
- Plexus Corp. presented its latest quarterly results, showing a mixed performance across various metrics while maintaining a strategic focus on long-term growth and operational efficiency.
- The company reported revenue of $1.018 billion, aligning with its guidance, and demonstrated consistent performance with a non-GAAP operating margin of 6%, meeting its stated goal.
- Key sectoral drivers included improved order activity from industrial and European defense customers, although the pace of program ramp-ups and tariff-related uncertainties posed challenges.
Robert Half International: An Insight Into Its Protiviti Growth
- Robert Half’s latest earnings for Q2 2025 presents a mixed picture with some notable challenges and opportunities for its business units.
- The company’s global revenues were reported at $1.37 billion, reflecting a 7% year-over-year decline.
- This decline was in line with the midpoint of the company’s previous guidance.
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