On August 9th, 1995, a 23-year-old college dropout named Marc Andreessen took his company public.
It was called Netscape.
You’ve probably never thought about it since.
But on that single morning… the stock was supposed to open at $28.
Demand was so overwhelming the market couldn’t even process the orders.
When it finally opened… it was at $71.
By end of day, it had nearly tripled.
The Wall Street Journal noted it had taken General Dynamics 43 years to become a $2.7 billion company.
It had taken Netscape about a minute.
That was the moment America realized the internet was real.
And the moment a specific corner of the stock market went absolutely parabolic.
Over the next few years, the companies building the internet's backbone poured over $100 billion into fiber optic cables, servers, and digital infrastructure across America.
At the time, it was the most audacious infrastructure bet anyone had ever seen.
And the investors who understood what was happening and got in before the crowd… well you know the result.
Now let’s look at what's happening today…
Four of the biggest companies on the planet just committed $700 billion to build the next layer of American infrastructure.
Something much bigger than fiber and cable.
The last time this much capital flooded into a single sector this fast, a 23-year-old kid’s company became worth $3 billion in a minute.
In this presentation, 30-year market veteran Chris Rowe is revealing all the details.
This window won’t be open for long… the money is moving fast.
Bill Spencer
Why PriceSmart’s Discount May Not Last Much Longer
Authored by Thomas Hughes. Article Published: 4/10/2026.
Key Points
- PriceSmart is positioned to grow, drive cash flow, and pay dividends in 2026, outperforming estimates for fiscal Q2.
- Marketshare gains, new stores, and comp-store growth underpin an outlook for double-digit earnings growth over the coming years.
- PriceSmart’s valuation remains below that of its larger membership-club peers, though emerging-market exposure and currency volatility remain key risks.
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PriceSmart (NASDAQ: PSMT) carries elevated risk as an emerging-market retailer, but it is well positioned and trading at a discount relative to peers such as Walmart’s (NASDAQ: WMT) Sam’s Club and Costco (NASDAQ: COST).
Those two membership-club leaders trade at much higher valuations, suggesting PriceSmart’s stock has substantial upside. PriceSmart trades at roughly 29x earnings versus Costco’s about 50x, implying meaningful upside that is supported by PriceSmart’s ability to grow.
PriceSmart self-funds its growth and has led peers in percentage gains. The company’s fiscal Q2 2026 results show a 9.7% revenue growth rate, compared with Costco's 9.1% and Walmart's 5.6% in the comparable period.
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Watch the free presentation and learn how to get started todayLooking ahead, PriceSmart expects to sustain its double-digit growth pace, driven by market-share gains, comp-store growth and new store openings. As of fiscal Q2 2026, the company’s store count rose 3.7% year over year and is projected to increase nearly 9% by the end of FY2027.
PriceSmart Outperformance Triggers Continuation Signal
PriceSmart delivered a solid fiscal Q2, with revenue up 9.7% to $1.5 billion, outperforming consensus by roughly 135 basis points (company release).
The gain was driven by a 9.9% increase in merchandise sales, supported by a 7.8% rise in net sales and a 2.1% currency tailwind. Comp-store sales increased 7.6% (5.5% adjusted for currency translation), and membership fees grew 17%, suggesting comp-store momentum should persist in coming quarters.
Margin trends were also positive. Improved revenue leverage, stronger-than-expected traffic and solid operational execution accelerated earnings: EBITDA, a core-profitability measure, rose 14.5%, delivering GAAP EPS of $1.62—more than five cents ahead of consensus. Margins are expected to remain healthy next quarter, helping fuel a robust market response.
PriceSmart’s stock surged more than 2% after the release, taking the share price to a new all-time high.
The move confirms an uptrend and a bullish flag pattern, signaling trend continuation. Targets are based on the flag pole—about $22—implying a near-term target around $175 by midyear. Longer-term upside is likely given the company’s growth, cash-flow profile and capital-return potential.
PriceSmart’s Dividend and Distribution Growth Make It a Buy-and-Hold Investment
PriceSmart is not a high-yield stock, but it is a reliable dividend payer with a history of aggressive increases. In early 2026 the yield was below 1%, but that low yield is offset by a modest payout ratio and a strong distribution growth rate.
The payout ratio is about 20%, leaving ample room for future distribution increases without requiring sustained double-digit earnings growth. The distribution compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is in the low teens and is likely to be maintained given the payout ratio and expected earnings growth.
Institutional ownership supports the stock’s dividend and growth outlook but may also influence near-term price action. Institutions own more than 80% of the stock; they were net buyers over the trailing 12 months but were net sellers in Q1 2026.
That dynamic could make it harder for the price to hold advances in the short term. On the other hand, the strong fiscal Q2 release may draw institutions back into accumulation, as similar results have for other retail companies.
There were no obvious red flags in the quarter’s balance sheet—only signs that PriceSmart can continue executing its strategy. Although cash declined modestly at the end of fiscal Q2, the company remains well capitalized: gains in current and total assets offset the cash decrease.
Liability increases were manageable, equity rose and leverage remains low. Long-term debt is under 0.25x equity, leaving the company nimble and able to raise capital if needed.
The primary risks this year are rising costs, margin pressure and foreign-exchange volatility. So far, rising costs and margin pressure have been largely mitigated; FX remains an uncontrollable factor that is likely to stay elevated for the foreseeable future.
Are Oracle’s 30,000 Layoffs a Sign of Weakness or Strength?
Written by Sam Quirke. Publication Date: 4/15/2026.
Key Points
- Oracle’s layoffs initially raised concerns, but the market seems to be interpreting them as a strategic move.
- The stock has jumped nearly 25% in recent sessions, suggesting investors are increasingly leaning toward a bullish interpretation.
- However, even with strong analyst upside and an improving technical setup, execution risk remains high.
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Shares of tech giant Oracle Corp (NYSE: ORCL) are trading just above $160 after a sharp bounce in recent sessions. After announcing large layoffs at the end of March, the stock initially rose before being pushed lower amid a broader equity selloff tied to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
That weakness proved short-lived. At the start of this week, Oracle shares jumped 13% in a single session, part of a move that has delivered gains of as much as 25% since late last week. While the stock is still trying to reverse the downtrend that has been in place since last September, the recent price action suggests a more meaningful shift may be underway.
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See the full briefing on how to claim your position todayAt the center of that shift is a question investors are now grappling with: are Oracle’s layoffs a sign of underlying weakness, or a deliberate move to fund its next phase of growth? Let’s take a closer look.
A Cost-Cutting Move or a Strategic Pivot?
On the surface, the scale of the layoffs is hard to ignore. Cuts of this magnitude are often associated with companies under pressure that need to reduce expenses quickly.
Context matters, however. Oracle has said the layoffs are linked to its broader push into artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud infrastructure. Investors had been questioning how the company would fund those ambitions, and the recent reductions appear aimed at reallocating capital toward areas where Oracle sees the most opportunity.
That nuance is important. Rather than acting purely out of weakness, Oracle is reshaping its cost base to support a capital-intensive strategy it believes will yield larger returns. In that light, the layoffs can be seen as a strategic reallocation rather than just a defensive move. The market’s response—an upward move in the stock since the announcement—suggests investors are willing to side with management’s view.
The AI Bet Is Driving the Narrative
The reason this interpretation is gaining traction is straightforward: Oracle is doubling down on AI infrastructure, and that requires heavy investment. If executed well, it could represent a material growth opportunity. The challenge, and the source of prior skepticism, is the massive funding and expenditure required to make the pivot work. That skepticism contributed to a roughly 60% decline in Oracle shares since last September.
The layoffs are therefore being read as a concrete step toward funding that transition. Instead of dwelling on the immediate optics of job cuts, investors are focusing on what those cuts enable for the company’s AI and cloud ambitions.
Bullish Price Action and Analyst Support
Technically, the stock is showing signs of forming a base after a multi-month downtrend. Bears have twice this year failed to push the stock below $135, which looks like a potential double bottom and a constructive setup for a recovery rally.
Analyst sentiment is also supportive, with a growing consensus that Oracle is undervalued at current levels even after the recent run-up.
Bank of America and Mizuho have reiterated Buy (or equivalent) ratings recently, with price targets of $200 and $320, respectively. From current levels, those targets imply considerable upside — up to roughly 100% in Mizuho’s case.
Even more cautious analysts see upside. Stephens, for example, maintained an Equal Weight rating last week but set a $254 price target, well above the stock's current trading range.
Execution Will Be Everything
Despite the improving picture, risks remain. Oracle’s AI strategy is capital-intensive and will take time to produce results. The company is betting it can secure a meaningful position in a highly competitive market, and success is not guaranteed.
There is also the question of whether the layoffs fully reflect strategic discipline or hint at pressure in parts of the business. The truth likely lies somewhere in between, which makes the outlook both compelling and uncertain. For now, the market appears to be leaning bullish, supported by the ongoing rally, improving technicals, and solid analyst backing.
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