Key Points

• Investment in energy-intensive AI data centers is driving private sector investment in nuclear energy.

• Governments are warming to the option of keeping and growing nuclear power as part of the energy mix.

• 10 stocks we like better than Cameco ›

Cameco's (NYSE: CCJ) management styles the company as a "pure-play investment in the growing demand for nuclear energy," and with good reason. Its mix of uranium mining, nuclear fuel services, and 49% interest in atomic reactor and nuclear plant services company Westinghouse makes it the best stock to buy to play the revival of nuclear power right now. That's a good thing because all the evidence points to momentum building in investment in nuclear power.

Nuclear power investment

After a period when policymakers were committed to the clean energy transition and all things renewable, there's a growing understanding that, while the transition is still taking place, it will take place at a slower pace than many previously thought. That means that energy sources such as gas are going to be a key part of the mix for many years to come.

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The intermittency of renewable energy and its cost also mean that nuclear is becoming an increasingly popular option as a source of carbon-free energy.

It's well understood that power-hungry data center hyperscalers like Microsoft, Alphabet's Google, and Amazon.com are investing in nuclear power to solve their long-term power needs.

Government investment

At the same time, governments across the globe are investing in or reassessing the phasing out of nuclear energy, and that's a green flag I see. Cameco stock recently surged on news of investment in nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic; Belgium voted to pull back on phasing out nuclear energy; and Turkey is building nuclear power plants.

These are just a few examples, and as the momentum grows, investors and analysts may need to start penciling in more optimistic assumptions for Cameco's addressable market. As long as that momentum builds, investors are likely to get behind the stock.

Should you invest $1,000 in Cameco right now?

Before you buy stock in Cameco, consider this:

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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $653,427!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,119,863!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,060% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends Cameco and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Points

• Viking Therapeutics has key weight loss drugs in phase 2 and phase 3 trials.

• The race is on to bring an oral formulation weight loss medication to market, and Novo Nordisk appears to be the leader.

• Eli Lilly is also developing a promising drug and plans to seek FDA approval in 2025.

• 10 stocks we like better than Viking Therapeutics ›

Investing successfully in biopharmaceutical companies can sometimes require complicated calculations worthy of Albert Einstein's brain. That's because picking the right ones involves a variation of the theory of relativity. And that's tied to the notion that the battle for sales is won not only in the marketing field, but also in who has the most promising clinical trial data. Differing forces can have a relative impact on which company succeeds.

As such, investors interested in Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX) need to monitor not only that company's weight loss drug development but also the development pipelines of rivals Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) and Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY). Effectively, all three things matter when it comes to the investment thesis for Viking. Here's why.

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The investment case for Viking Therapeutics

Starting with Viking, its key clinical program is VK2735, which Viking describes as "a novel dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors for the potential treatment of various metabolic disorders."

It's in clinical trials in both subcutaneous (injection under the skin) and oral forms. This is a key point to understand because an oral formulation has significant advantages over subcutaneously delivered medication, not least in terms of patient comfort and convenience.

• VK2735 (subcutaneous) is currently in a phase 3 trial, having produced excellent results in phase 2 last year, with 88% of patients treated with VK2375 achieving more than 10% weight loss compared to just 4% for the placebo group.
• VK2735 (oral) is in a phase 2 trial, with management anticipating reporting data from the trial in the second half of 2025.

Given that the phase 3 (subcutaneous) trial, which started in June, is a 78-week study, it could be 2027 before results are reported. The real needle mover (pun intended) will be the results of the phase 2 oral trial in 2025. It's easy to assume that the oral trial results will be positive based on the phase 2 subcutaneous results. Still, clinical trials don't always follow suit between the same drug and formulation between phase 2 and phase 3, let alone in this scenario.

On a more positive note, it's reasonable to argue that if the oral trial phase 2 is successful, then history suggests a major pharmaceutical company is likely to look closely at acquiring Viking.

Novo Nordisk and oral Wegovy

The weight loss field is, understandably, crowded, given its lucrative nature; the two leading players are Novo Nordisk with Wegovy and Eli Lilly with Zepbound. Both companies are developing oral formulations of weight loss drugs, with Novo Nordisk electing for an oral version of Wegovy. In contrast, Eli Lilly is developing another GLP-1 receptor agonist, Orforglipron.

Focusing on Novo Nordisk, after a successful phase 3 trial, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted Novo Nordisk's submission of the oral formulation of Wegovy (which demonstrated similar weight loss as subcutaneous Wegovy), and a decision is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Viking investors should be cautious, as the oral formulation of Wegovy could win out over VK2735 if it succeeds and gets approved this year.

Eli Lilly and Orforglipron

Eli Lilly didn't opt for an oral formulation of Zepbound because it's not suited for oral delivery, and instead is developing the small molecule drug Orforglipron. It too has had a successful phase 3 trial, achieving a mean 12.4% weight loss at the highest dosage of 36mg over 72 weeks. Eli Lilly is hoping to submit it to the FDA before the end of the year. Again, something to look out for.

Where next for Viking Therapeutics

By the end of the year, Viking's phase data for VK2735 (oral) should be out, and a decision on Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy should be made, too, while Eli Lilly should submit Orforglipron to the FDA. These timelines create an opportunity for Viking to get its phase 2 data out first, and then it remains to be seen if the company will be a takeover target or not. Much will depend on how successful Novo Nordisk is with its oral formulation, and in turn, Eli Lilly with its. When it comes to which will be the best investment, it's somewhat relative to which one manages the best results and gets them out first. Either way, it's something to watch for.

Should you invest $1,000 in Viking Therapeutics right now?

Before you buy stock in Viking Therapeutics, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Viking Therapeutics wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $653,427!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,119,863!*

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk and Viking Therapeutics. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Points

• Investors need to be patient, but the tariffs will inevitably improve Whirlpool's competitive position in the US market.

• The tariffs on its Asian competitors are significant and, if maintained, could prove a game-changer for the company.

• 10 stocks we like better than Whirlpool ›

Some positive things are going Whirlpool's (NYSE: WHR) way of late. The home appliance maker looks set to be a net winner over the long term from the Trump administration's recent tariff actions. The company's decision last year to exit its European business (which combined with Arcelik to form Beko Europe) should magnify the tariff's benefits further by increasing the company's exposure to North America.

Whirlpool's near-term headwinds

That said, the company needs to overcome some near-term headwinds, and the irony is that they are caused by the self-same tariff actions that will help the company over the long term. As recently discussed, Whirlpool's immediate problem is that Asian competitors are preloading product into the market in anticipation of higher tariffs (as they did in the first quarter) or to take advantage of any tariff pauses (as they did in the second quarter).

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As a result, Whirlpool's markets are suffering intense promotional activity as its competitors sell their inventory into the market through 2025. According to Whirlpool CEO Marc Bitzer on a recent earnings call, "we expect that foreign competitors will begin to experience the full implications of tariffs and appliances as they sell down their preloaded inventory in the back half of 2025."

Bitzer's comment speaks to a likely continuation of the near-term pressure that caused the company to cut its full-year guidance.

Whirlpool's long-term growth prospects

Still, it also refers to the substantive tariffs currently applied to Asian competitors. Whirlpool outlined some of them on its earnings presentation, with imports from China tariffed at 44% to 61%, Korea at 29%, Vietnam at 25%, Thailand at 39%, etc. While these rates may change, and its competitors can expand investment to produce more in the U.S., 80% of what Whirlpool sells in the U.S. is made in the U.S.

Simply put, Whirlpool is best placed to benefit from the new tariff regime, and that should become clear enough as the full impact of tariffs kicks in. As such, Whirlpool stock has excellent upside prospects.

Should you invest $1,000 in Whirlpool right now?

Before you buy stock in Whirlpool, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Whirlpool wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $635,544!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,099,758!*

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*Stock Advisor returns as of August 4, 2025

Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Whirlpool. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Points

• The loss of sales to a Chinese customer was more than compensated for by increased sales of rare-earth materials.

• The company's rare-earth magnet sales are ramping up nicely, as the company prepares for expansion to support the Department of Defense and Apple deals.

• 10 stocks we like better than MP Materials ›

Shares in rare-earth material and magnets company MP Materials (NYSE: MP) rose 11.6% in the week to Friday morning, and could possibly rise a lot more after the market digests its second-quarter earnings report.

MP Materials earnings

Investors will likely warm to the earnings report. The company reported an 84% revenue increase and a decreased loss, with adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) coming in with a $12.5 million loss compared to a $27 million loss in the same period of 2024.

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It's a good result under the circumstances because of the "strategic decision to cease shipments of rare earth concentrate to China as well as by the ramp-up in midstream operations."

China is, for now, the dominant player in global rare-earth magnet production, and MP Materials previously sold rare-earth materials to a Chinese customer.

However, a massive increase in its neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) oxide revenue led to a 20% increase in materials sales to $37.5 million, and MP Materials' sales of its rare-earth magnets contributed $19.9 million in revenue.

Where next for MP Materials

The results are relatively good, as the market anticipated some near-term pain (from losing its revenue to China). Still, the real long-term story here lies in its transformative deals with the Department of Defense and Apple.

These deals will transform MP Materials into a key part of ensuring the U.S. has a domestic supply of critical rare-earth materials and magnets in the future.

Should you invest $1,000 in MP Materials right now?

Before you buy stock in MP Materials, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and MP Materials wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $635,544!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,099,758!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,046% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 181% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 4, 2025

Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool recommends MP Materials. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Points

• Joby Aviation's business model differs significantly from that of its peers.

• There's reason to believe its vertically integrated strategy will win out.

• The upside potential is significant; provided the certification process goes smoothly, Joby has a big future.

• 10 stocks we like better than Joby Aviation ›

The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) market is crowded, but that doesn't mean it's a winner-takes-all scenario. Different companies have different business models with varying risks and rewards, and Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) is arguably the one with the most reward and also one that's reducing its risk the most in 2025. Is it enough to make it a stock that could set investors up for life? Here's the lowdown.

What makes Joby Aviation different

It's always interesting to compare competitors across a growth industry, and doing so with Joby's peer Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) makes for a fascinating comparison. The first conclusion is that they have significantly different models. The second is that the nature of their models allows for more than enough room for both in the market, and the third is that Joby Aviation is making real progress in de-risking the elements of its business that are subject to greater market uncertainty.

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In a nutshell, you can think of Joby Aviation as a "go it alone" player in the industry, backed by a heavyweight manufacturing partner in Toyota, as well as other investors such as Uber and Delta Air Lines. Its business model is different from Archer's and the rest of the industry in two key ways:

• Joby Aviation doesn't plan to sell its aircraft and prefers to develop much of its technology in-house, having its own powertrain and electronics manufacturing facility in California.
• As quoted from its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, Joby plans to "own and operate our aircraft ourselves, building a vertically integrated transportation company that will deliver transportation services to customers."

Both points are crucial to understanding the investment case.

Joby's in-house development

Archer, along with other eVTOL companies such as Germany's Lilium and the U.K.'s Vertical Aerospace, makes no secret of the fact that it has leading aerospace and automotive companies as partners in providing solutions. The advantage of heavy integration with established partners in developing technology is a simplified and less risky process, which, theoretically, leads to earlier certification.

For example, Archer partners with Honeywell for actuators and climate systems, Hexcel for advanced composite materials, Safran for avionics, and Stellantis (also a key investor). Honeywell is a key strategic technology partner of Vertical Aerospace and partners with European aerospace companies GKN and Leonardo.

Lilium partners with GE Aerospace in flight data management and Honeywell (also an investor) for flight control, avionics, and propulsion unit sensors.

As such, Joby's more "go it alone" approach could be deemed more risky. However, it has received significant investment (up to $894 million) from a manufacturing heavyweight, Toyota. Moreover, the Japanese giant is assisting in improving Joby's manufacturing processes and optimizing design.

A vertically integrated transportation company

Here again, Joby is different. It doesn't want to sell its aircraft; instead, it wants to handle the commercialization of transportation services itself. Again, this is a more risky business model, as it implies commercial business expertise in addition to research & development and manufacturing expertise. It's somewhat akin to Boeing or Airbus deciding to operate an airline.

On the other hand, there's a reason why Uber has invested $125 million in Joby so far: the obvious potential to integrate their services. Similarly, Delta Air Lines is investing up to $200 million in Joby to transport passengers to airports. With Delta increasingly focusing on premium travelers and looking to offer experiences that engender loyalty, the Joby tie-in is a significant plus.

Can Joby Aviation be a life-changing investment?

Given the current trends in the global economy, whereby technology is enabling fundamental shifts in how industrial and transportation companies operate (think Tesla selling direct or Uber not needing to own cars), Joby's business model makes perfect sense and has the potential to create more value for shareholders over the long term.

Meanwhile, while its peers are working with leading aerospace companies, Toyota is a formidable manufacturing entity and partner, and the Toyota Production System is the precursor to all the lean manufacturing practices successfully implemented by GE Aerospace and many others.

There are no guarantees in nascent technology fields such as eVTOL, and diversification is key when investing in growth stocks. Still, Joby Aviation is a strong candidate for an investment that could set you up for life.

Should you invest $1,000 in Joby Aviation right now?

Before you buy stock in Joby Aviation, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Joby Aviation wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,063,471!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,041% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025

Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends Delta Air Lines, GE Aerospace, Hexcel, and Stellantis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Points

• New engine deliveries are the key to long-term profitability.

• Investors value aerospace stocks based on their long-term earnings and cash flow potential.

• 10 stocks we like better than GE Aerospace ›

GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) stock trades up more than 60% year to date, and it's understandable if investors are starting to think it might be overvalued. However, the company's second-quarter earnings just revealed something that strengthens the investment thesis for long-term investors.

Improving long-run profit potential

Aerospace companies are typically not judged on near-term earnings, but rather on their potential for a long-term stream of recurring revenue from higher-margin services. In this case, it's GE's commercial aerospace engines.

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The typical model in the industry is that engines are initially sold at a loss, which reflects the long-term development costs as well as production costs, known as the negative engine margin. However, as they can be run for over 40 years, they generate a lucrative stream of aftermarket revenue when they periodically require "shop visits" for maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO).

It leads to an odd dynamic where GE Aerospace wants to deliver more engines for long-term profitability, but it will hurt earnings in the near term. The key is to deliver new engines, and particularly the LEAP engine (used on the Boeing 737 MAX and the Airbus A320neo family).

As you can see below, after a challenging 2024, GE is on track for 15% to 20% growth in deliveries in 2025 -- the chart shows the midpoint of that range.

Digging into the details, the second quarter marked a dramatic improvement, as LEAP engine deliveries increased by 38% year over year to 410 units , following a 13% decline in the first quarter to 319 units. This increase puts GE back on track for its full-year guidance.

Where next for GE Aerospace?

While the engine delivery growth will hold back near-term profits, it will drive long-term earnings and cash flow. This is a good sign that GE is overcoming the supply chain issues that negatively impacted deliveries in 2024.

Should you invest $1,000 in GE Aerospace right now?

Before you buy stock in GE Aerospace, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and GE Aerospace wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,063,471!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,041% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025

Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends GE Aerospace. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

On July 14, 2025, Gayn Erickson (President and CEO) reported a disposal of 4,518 shares of Aehr Test Systems (NASDAQ:AEHR) valued at $62,619 to either pay the exercise price of vested stock, or tax liability with shares instead of cash. This transaction does not amount to a sale of stock by the CEO.

Transaction summary

Metric	Value
Shares Traded	4,518
Transaction Value	$62,619
Post-Transaction Shares	272,511
Post-Transaction Value	$3.8 million
YTD Performance	-11.1% (as on market close on July 16, 2025)

Company overview

Metric	Value
Market capitalization	$441.6 million
Revenue (TTM)	$59.0 million
Net income (TTM)	($3.91 million)
One-year price change	-14.49%

Company snapshot

Aehr Test Systems provides test and burn-in systems for integrated circuits, including the ABTS and FOX product families, as well as wafer probing and packaging solutions for logic, memory, and photonic devices in the semiconductor equipment industry. The company leverages proprietary technology to address the stringent quality and performance requirements of leading chip manufacturers.

It generates revenue primarily from the sale of proprietary test systems, consumables, and related services to semiconductor manufacturers.

The company targets global semiconductor manufacturers and integrated circuit producers seeking advanced reliability and quality assurance solutions.

Foolish take

Aehr Test System CEO, Gayn Erickson's "sale" of less than $63 thousand worth of stock isn't anything to get excited about. He currently holds a $4 million direct ownership stake in a company with a current market capitalization of just $440 million, and there's a specific reason behind this transaction.

According to the SEC filing, Erickson withheld the 4,518 shares to cover the costs and taxes incurred by the vesting of the restricted stock units. In other words, all things being equal, Erickson's stock holdings will increase due to the vesting of restricted stock.

That's probably good news because Aehr, a company that manufactures test and burn-in equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing, appears to be one of the success stories of 2025. Having started the calendar year with a heavy reliance on the weakening silicon carbide (SiC) Wafer Level Burn In (WLBI) market – an end market overwhelmingly tied to electric vehicle (EV) investment – Erickson has successfully navigated the company's revenue to new markets like gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors, and artificial intelligence processor burn-in markets.

With these new end markets starting to make meaningful contributions to revenue and the prospect of an eventual return to growth in SiC WLBI, when the EV market eventually improves, Aehr Test Systems has a bright future.

Glossary

Insider:A company executive, director, or major shareholder with access to non-public company information.
Form 4:A required SEC filing disclosing insider transactions in a company's securities.
Exercise price:The set price at which an option holder can buy or sell the underlying security.
Option-related transaction:A trade involving company stock options, such as exercising or selling shares acquired via options.
Burn-in:A testing process where electronic devices are operated under stress to detect early failures.
Wafer probing:Testing semiconductor chips on a wafer before they are cut and packaged.
Photonic devices:Electronic components that use light (photons) for functions like communication or sensing.
Outstanding shares:The total number of a company’s shares currently held by all shareholders.
Total return:The investment's price change plus all dividends and distributions, assuming those payouts are reinvested.
Proprietary technology:Technology owned and controlled by a company, often protected by patents or trade secrets.
TTM:The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.
Consumables:Products used up during equipment operation, requiring regular replacement (e.g., test sockets, probes).

Where to invest $1,000 right now

When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,058%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 179% for the S&P 500.

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Points

• Interest rate-sensitive stocks came under pressure today.

• Whirlpool faces some challenging near-term conditions.

• In the longer term, Whirlpool should be a winner from the tariff conflict.

• 10 stocks we like better than Whirlpool ›

Shares in household appliances company Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) declined by more than 5.5% by 3 p.m. ET today. Outside a rise in market interest rates (the 10-year Treasury rate is now up to almost 4.5%, putting pressure on interest rate-sensitive stocks like Whirlpool), there's no stock-specific reason for the decline.

Whirlpool's challenging 2025

Investors in Whirlpool can expect more volatility leading up to its second-quarter earnings report on July 29. While the stock has had an impressive run-up over the last three months (up 26%), it still faces significant near-term headwinds. Not only are interest rates stubbornly high and negatively impacting the housing market and therefore, demand for higher-margin discretionary purchases of household appliances, but the tariff conflict and the fear of further tariffs have likely caused Asian competitors to push products into the U.S. market.

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It all creates an uncertain near-term trading environment in a company with a dividend that cost $384 million in cash last year, $4.8 billion in debt (with $1.85 billion maturing in 2025), and pressure on its full-year guidance for $500 million to $600 million in free cash flow in 2025.

Long-term potential

As such, don't be surprised if Whirlpool cuts its dividend this year. That said, it might turn out to be a positive for the stock, as it would help alleviate some uncertainty surrounding debt repayment. Moreover, considering the longer term, Whirlpool is highly likely to be a winner from the trade conflict, as management views the Trump administration as leveling the playing field that has been tilted against Whirlpool over time.

It's a curious mix of near-term risk and long-term opportunity, but today, the market focuses on the former.

Should you invest $1,000 in Whirlpool right now?

Before you buy stock in Whirlpool, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Whirlpool wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $680,559!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,005,670!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,053% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025

Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Whirlpool. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Points

• Nvidia's partnership is a big deal for this semiconductor stock.

• Most of the anecdotal evidence, management commentary, and order patterns currently confirm the AI/data center market is all systems go.

Shares in gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor company Navitas Semiconductor (NASDAQ: NVTS) soared by 28.4% in June, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The stock has been on a remarkable run recently, and at the time of writing, it's up more than 80% year to date.

Why Navitas Semiconductor is surging

There's no doubt as to the reason for the move. It comes down to the company's relationship with Nvidia, specifically its potential role in developing data center architecture for the next generation of data centers, which are set to hit the market in 2027.

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As previously discussed, the new data centers are likely to be more efficient, require significantly lower maintenance and cooling costs, and offer better reliability. The key to the new 800-volt high-voltage direct (HVDC) current data centers, set to begin in 2027, lies in a fundamental change in how power is distributed from the grid through the data center to the IT racks.

That's where Navitas Semiconductor's GaN and SiC power devices come in. Its GaN chips will help with converting 800-volt HVDC down to the lower voltages necessary to run graphics processing units, which are Nvidia's specialty, in the IT racks. Meanwhile, Navitas' SiC chips are crucial for converting the 13.8 kilovolt alternating current power from the grid to the 800-volt HVDC used in the new data centers.

As such, Navitas' solutions look likely to play a key role in the next generation of data centers that will power the AI revolution.

Ongoing end demand

The news of Nvidia's partnership is obviously a plus. Still, investors will also need to see that capital spending on data centers and end demand from AI applications continue to grow at a rate necessary to support a successful rollout of the new data centers in 2027. And here, Navitas investors have reason to be optimistic. Despite the uncertainties created by the trade tariff conflict, there has been no let-up in the data center spending plans of hyperscalers such as Microsoft and Alphabet.

In addition, anecdotal evidence from data center equipment companies and contractors indicates that investment in data centers continues to run hot.

Where next for Navitas

As with hypergrowth stocks, conventional metrics such as trailing earnings won't make much sense right now. Still, Navitas should expect an aggressive sales ramp-up in 2026, ahead of the launch of the 800-volt HVDC data centers in 2027. As such, the ongoing momentum in the development of those sales, along with Nvidia's commentary on the progress of its architecture for the new data centers, is likely to be the key driver of the stock price for the foreseeable future.

Should you invest $1,000 in Navitas Semiconductor right now?

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Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

It's no secret that the market has lost interest in oil stocks over the past year. Indeed, all three stocks covered here -- namely, Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN), Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ: FANG), and Vitesse Energy (NYSE: VTS) -- have declined over the last year. As such, they now trade with excellent dividend yields or attractive price-to-free cash flow (FCF) multiples.

Moreover, I think there's a strong possibility that all three companies have recently moved to reduce risk and secure their dividends. Here's why.

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The oil price environment in the first half

Israel's attack on Iran sent the price of oil spiking higher, as investors priced in the risk of ongoing instability in a critically crucial oil-producing region. However, before going into how oil companies responded to this, it's worth putting the move into context.

The spike occurred after a few months of oil trading in the low-to-mid-$60 per-barrel range. In addition, sentiment toward oil turned negative following a slower economic growth outlook (due to tariff escalations and ongoing geopolitical tensions) and OPEC's decision to increase production.

WTI Crude Oil Spot Price data by YCharts

There's little doubt that sentiment turned negative after events in the spring. For example, Vitesse implemented a 32% cut in its planned capital expenditures and deferred completion of a couple of wells "in response to current commodity price volatility to preserve returns and maintain financial flexibility." Diamondback cut its planned 2025 capital expenditures to $3.4 billion to $3.8 billion from a previous range of $3.8 billion to $4.2 billion.

While Devon didn't make any adjustments in connection with the commodity price environment, management noted, "With the ongoing market and price volatility, Devon will continue to monitor the macro environment and has significant flexibility to adjust its activity and capital programs" on its earnings release in early May.

What happened after the recent oil price spike

According to numerous reports, the attack on Iran on June 13 triggered a record amount of hedging volumes through Aegis Hedging Solutions. This company assists commodity companies with their hedging strategies. While some of it was possibly oil companies looking to get exposure to potentially higher prices, the likelihood is that it was independent oil companies taking advantage of the spike to hedge their near-term production.

As we've already seen, all three companies have either cut their capital spending plans or are monitoring events with the option to do so. In addition, they all utilize hedging as an integral part of their capital allocation strategy, ensuring returns to investors through dividends and share buybacks.

Hedging strategies and dividends

While we won't know for sure until they release their second-quarter earnings, all three are strong candidates to have taken part in the rush to hedge their oil production.

Hedging is an integral part of Vitesse's strategy, which enables it to maintain its $2.25-per-share dividend (current yield: 10%). As of the end of March, Vitesse had 61% of its remaining oil production hedged at an average price of $70.75 per barrel. Look for that figure to increase, or at least an increase in 2026 production volumes hedged.

Diamondback is a conservatively run oil company that uses hedging to ensure its base dividend of $4 per share (currently equivalent to a yield of 2.9%). As of May, it had downside protection in place to $55 a barrel. In other words, at any price of oil above $55, Diamondback has upside exposure to the price of oil.

The strategy is to enable cash flow to return to investors through a variable dividend or share buybacks, in addition to the base dividend. Again, look for Diamondback to have increased hedging activity in the quarter.

As of the first quarter, Devon Energy had more than 25% of its expected 2025 oil production hedged. With that hedging in place, management estimates it will generate $1.9 billion in FCF at a price of oil of $50 per barrel, $2.6 billion at $60 per barrel, and $3.3 billion at $70 per barrel. These figures easily cover its fixed dividend of $0.96 per share (about $650 million in cash). With increased hedging in place, the fixed dividend (currently yielding almost 3%) will be even more secure.

Stocks to buy for investors looking for passive income

In particular, Diamondback's and Devon's dividends look very secure, and both have the potential to increase their discretionary dividends, make more share buybacks, or pay down debt. If I'm right, and they, and Vitesse, took advantage of the oil price spike, then passive income investors can sleep even sounder in the knowledge that their dividend income is safe.

Should you invest $1,000 in Devon Energy right now?

Before you buy stock in Devon Energy, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Devon Energy wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $713,547!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $966,931!*

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vitesse Energy. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Shares in auto parts retailer Advance Auto Parts (NYSE: AAP) were lower by more than 8% as of 11 a.m. today. The move came after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock from neutral to a sell, amid concerns that it was losing market share to competitors. In addition, the Goldman Sachs analyst believes the current valuation relies on a margin recovery, which might not occur in the current environment.

Slow going for Advance Auto Parts

It's hard enough for a Wall Street analyst to refrain from issuing a buy recommendation, so when a heavyweight like Goldman Sachs issues a sell rating, it has a significant impact.

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The analyst's channel checks suggest that Advance Auto may be losing market share and experiencing margin pressure, a more significant concern than the company's current valuation. After all, if management can turn around the company's lackluster performance, then the earnings recovery can be dramatic.

Still, this is a company that's been in turnaround mode for over a decade, so a certain amount of skepticism is warranted. It's also a complicated trading environment. While management completed its store optimization program in March, it's still closing distribution centers, with a target to close 12 this year and end the year with 16, followed by the closure of another four next year.

Given the importance of logistics and ensuring in-store parts availability in this industry, it wouldn't be surprising if the company encounters some headwinds.

Where next for Advance Auto Parts?

The only way the company can silence the doubters is by delivering on its guidance in 2025. If you believe the company is finally in turnaround mode, then today is a buying opportunity. However, cautious investors will look for at least a few quarters of evidence before drawing any conclusions worth acting on.

Should you invest $1,000 in Advance Auto Parts right now?

Before you buy stock in Advance Auto Parts, consider this:

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Warren Buffett is not known for buying the most exciting businesses out there, but he is known for making some of the best investments. It's a thought to bear in mind when considering investing in Pool Corp. (NASDAQ: POOL), one of Berkshire Hathaway's holdings.

Here's why.

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Why Pool Corp. is a great Buffett stock to buy

The case for buying Pool Corp. is simple. The company holds a dominant market share in a highly fragmented yet growing market. Remember that, even if new pool construction growth is slowing, the installed base of pools is still growing, creating opportunities for Pool Corp.

In fact, almost two-thirds of its sales come through the maintenance and repair of existing swimming pools, with items such as chemicals, equipment, parts, and supplies used to maintain pumps, heaters, and filters.

These factors come together to create a business with relatively high profit margins (for a distributor) and consistently high return on invested capital (ROIC). It implies that every new sales center it invests in, or smaller distributor it acquires to build scale, tends to generate a good return.

Data by YCharts.

A long-term growth prospect

Observant readers will note that Pool's margins and ROIC declined in 2022, but this is due to a natural correction from the artificial boom in stay-at-home spending created by the pandemic lockdowns. About 15% of its sales in 2024 came from new swimming pool construction, and the slowdown in this area has impacted Pool Corp.'s sales growth.

Still, as noted above, the installed base is growing, and so should Pool Corp.'s revenue from maintenance and repair. As such, when the new pool construction market inevitably bottoms, Pool Corp. should get back on its long-term growth path.

Should you invest $1,000 in Pool right now?

Before you buy stock in Pool, consider this:

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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $676,023!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $883,692!*

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Warren Buffett has made some critical comments on the airline industry over the last few decades, and frankly, he has a point. But are his criticisms still valid, or have carriers like Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) altered the way investors should view the industry?

Buffett's views on the airline industry

The airline industry has historically struggled to generate the returns to cover its cost of capital. This is a point recognized by the International Air Transport Association and by Buffett himself. The legendary investor has argued that airlines' high fixed costs and the low marginal cost of adding extra seating and capacity lead to a tendency to ramp up capacity while also selling tickets at a low price.

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It's essential to note that when Buffett and others speak disparagingly about the airline industry and the returns it has generated for investors, they are typically referring to equity investors in airlines.

In contrast, bond investors have tended to do well, and airlines appear to have little difficulty attracting capital to the industry, not least because bonds are commonly securitized against valuable assets, namely the planes. It's also been an excellent industry for suppliers of airline equipment.

In Berkshire Hathaway's annual letter in 2007, Buffett wrote: "The airline industry's demand for capital ever since that first flight has been insatiable. Investors have poured money into a bottomless pit, attracted by growth when they should have been repelled by it."

In 1990, he called out the self-destructive pricing tactics of certain carriers. And in 1992's letter, he talked about airlines acting like members of a competitive tontine -- an arrangement whereby the participants contribute equally to a prize that goes to the lone survivor -- that they wish to conclude "as rapidly as possible."

The general theme of a capital-intensive industry, with relatively small and ever-at-risk profit margins, containing participants who don't always act rationally, would go a long way to explaining why airlines have struggled to cover their cost of capital.

The airline industry has changed

That said, there's a strong case for arguing that the airline industry is different now. As mentioned previously, Delta and United Airlines are both consistently generating a return on invested capital (ROIC) that exceeds their weighted average cost of capital (WACC), a key requirement for generating value for shareholders.

They are doing so because of a combination of their business models, a change of behavior, and certain structural factors within the industry that are creating a favorable long-term environment for network carriers like Delta and United.

As for their business models, both continue to grow premium travel revenue, and it's proving more resilient in a slowdown. For example, the tariff-induced slowdown this year hasn't led to any deterioration in high-end consumers' willingness to purchase a premium experience, according to United's chief commercial officer, Andrew Nocella, on the last earnings call.

It was a similar story from Delta's president, Glen Hauenstein, who said, "We have not seen any cracks yet in the Premium."

And their loyalty programs -- Delta's SkyMiles and United's MileagePlus -- not only foster loyalty and customer recognition, leading to repeat bookings, but they also generate a wealth of valuable data on consumer behavior and produce lucrative revenue through the sale of miles.

Behavior and structural advantages

As Buffett's quotes above suggest, the industry hasn't always acted rationally, but there is recent evidence that it has begun to do so. For example, when overcapacity manifested itself in the spring of last year, airline stocks sold off heavily, only to recover strongly after carriers reduced unnecessary capacity.

DAL data by YCharts.

Fast forward to today, and both Delta and United have announced cutbacks on capacity expansion plans in light of slowing bookings -- a sign of rational behavior.

Lastly, on the structural advantages, a combination of rising airport costs (partly due to the need for infrastructure investment), labor costs, supply chain costs, and parts shortages is putting significant pressure on the margins of low-cost carriers. That's creating an opportunity for network carriers to offer economy tickets to fill capacity.

Are they stocks to buy?

The airline industry has undergone significant changes, and while Buffett's words should always be heeded, the reality is that Delta and United are generating good and sustainable ROIC by diversifying their revenue streams to ensure long-term, sustainable growth. Both stocks are attractive for long-term investors.

Should you invest $1,000 in Delta Air Lines right now?

Before you buy stock in Delta Air Lines, consider this:

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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $664,089!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $881,731!*

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Delta Air Lines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Shares in aerospace giant Airbus (OTC: EADSY) rose by as much as 3.1% in early trading as the Paris Air Show concluded for industry professionals (it remains open to the public until Sunday). Airbus had a lot to say and $21 billion in orders to announce , but unfortunately, its great rival, Boeing (NYSE: BA), had very little to say.

Airbus and Boeing at the Paris Air Show

While Boeing didn't release an official statement on the matter, it's widely reported that Boeing scaled down its participation and elected not to announce new orders following a recent Air India crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Boeing had previously announced it would offer full support for the investigation currently taking place.

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Consequently, Airbus took center stage in the commercial aerospace industry, announcing $14.2 billion in firm orders and a further $6.7 billion under memoranda of understanding (MoUs).

Among the 148 firm orders was the first-ever order from LOT Polish Airlines for 40 A220 aircraft. All Nippon Airways, a subsidiary, ordered 27 A321 airplanes. Riyadh Air of Saudi Arabia ordered 25 A350 wide-bodies and will be the first Saudi airline to fly the 350. Vietnam's VietJet signed an MoU for 100 Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Where next for Airbus?

The strength in A350 (which competes with the Boeing 787) and A321 orders (a highly successful plane Boeing is struggling to compete with) is a continuation of an order trend this year. Meanwhile, the 40 A220 orders are a shot in the arm for an aircraft that Airbus has found it difficult to sign deals on in the last year or so.

Overall, it was a positive air show for Airbus, and that's reflected in the stock price today.

Should you invest $1,000 in Airbus SE right now?

Before you buy stock in Airbus SE, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Airbus SE wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $659,171!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $891,722!*

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Very few companies demonstrate the complexity of the current trade conflict and the strategic necessity of securing rare earth materials for the U.S. more effectively than MP Materials (NYSE: MP), and its share price action this week, up 21.8% at the time of writing, underscores this point.

A complicated trading position

Management describes the company as being "America's rare earth magnetics champion," as it is "America's only fully integrated rare earth producer." However, as fellow Fool.com writer Rich Smith notes, Shenghe Resources (a majority-owned subsidiary of China's Shenghe Resources Holding Company) was a major customer of MP Materials, and the company that MP Materials "sells the vast majority of its rare earth concentrate" to, according to its SEC filings.

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Moreover, in mid-April, MP Materials said it had "ceased shipments of rare earth concentrate to China" due to China's tariffs and the issue of selling critical materials not being "aligned with America's national interest." As such, the trade conflict is a near-term negative for MP Materials.

The long-term picture

That said, and as management consistently argues, the company's real growth opportunity lies in being part of the U.S. developing its own rare earth supply chain. It's a point reiterated by CEO James Litinsky on a recent earnings call: "What is now abundantly clear is that the United States must urgently accelerate its full-scale domestic rare earth magnetic supply chain."

As such, when speculation rises that the administration is working to secure funding for the company, the stock is likely to perform well, as it did this week.

It's an interesting situation, but with so much uncertainty surrounding the company's direction, it's challenging to argue that retail investors have any kind of advantage in investing in the stock.

Should you invest $1,000 in MP Materials right now?

Before you buy stock in MP Materials, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and MP Materials wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $659,171!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $891,722!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 995% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends MP Materials. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Shares in Verve Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VERV) soared 80.5% this week on the news of an agreement for Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) to acquire Verve. The deal centers on an exciting cardiovascular health medicine program, VERVE-102.

What is VERVE-102?

It's easy to see why Lilly is excited about the program. VERVE-102 targets the PCSK9 gene, aiming to deactivate it in the liver, and achieves this with a single infusion. Given that PCSK9 binds to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (often called "bad" cholesterol) receptors and prevents them from recycling to the cell surface, it follows that inhibiting PCSK9 will improve the body's ability to remove bad cholesterol.

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The initial results from the phase 1b trial give cause for optimism. According to Verve's press release:

• "VERVE-102 was well-tolerated, with no treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs) and no clinically significant laboratory abnormalities observed" across 14 patients given three different dose levels.
• Dose dependency was established, with the lowest dose (0.3mg/kg) patients achieving a "mean reduction in blood LDL-C of 21%," rising to 41% at the 0.45mg/kg dose, and 53% at the 0.6mg/kg dose.

Terms of the Lilly/Verve agreement

Lilly is offering:

• $10.50 per share for all the outstanding shares
• Plus a nontradable contingent value right (CVR) that pays up to $3 per share upon "the first patient being dosed with VERVE-102 for ASCVD in a U.S. phase 3 clinical trial on or prior to the tenth anniversary of closing or termination of the CVR."

The share price is $11.12 as I write, implying that the market is willing to pay $0.62 for the CVR, suggesting a 21% chance that Lily will take VERVE-102 to a stage 3 trial -- a reasonable assumption for a novel medicine under a major pharmaceutical company.

Should you invest $1,000 in Verve Therapeutics right now?

Before you buy stock in Verve Therapeutics, consider this:

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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $659,171!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $891,722!*

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Shares in nuclear power company Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) rose by a whopping 28% in the week to Friday morning. The move comes in a busy week for the company, whereby events helped encapsulate the investment case for the stock.

What does Oklo do

The company is developing what it describes as "next-generation fast fission power plants," known as Aurora. Its Aurora powerhouse has a few interesting qualities. First, it's based on a fast fission plant (Experimental Breeder Reactor-II) that the U.S. government operated from 1964 to 1994, so the technology is proven. Second, it's designed to operate either connected to the grid or independently of it -- the latter is a significant advantage when reliable power is needed in remote locations. Third, it can run on fresh or recycled nuclear fuel.

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What happened this week

The big news this week came with the announcement, on Wednesday, of a notice of intent to award (NOITA) Oklo a project to provide power to the Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska -- an attractive prospect for the Department of Defense because Aurora can provide power without being connected to the grid. Oklo will provide power under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA).

One day later, Oklo announced the pricing of a public offering intended to raise $400 million to $460 million.

Oklo's business model is to build, own, and operate its Aurora powerhouse and sell energy via power purchase agreements (PPAs), rather than selling its powerhouse designs. The upside is that it generates long-term recurring revenue; the downside is that it will require significant capital to build the powerhouses, hence the stock offering, and there is the usual risk of cost overruns in building and operating power plants. Still, the market took a positive view on matters this week.

Should you invest $1,000 in Oklo right now?

Before you buy stock in Oklo, consider this:

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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $655,255!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $888,780!*

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Shares in uranium fuel and nuclear energy services company Cameco (NYSE: CCJ) were up 11.7% by 11 a.m. ET today. The move comes as the market digests the news that Westinghouse Electric's adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) will be higher than previously expected in 2025.

That matters to Cameco investors because their company owns 49% of Westinghouse, with the rest owned by Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP), which also rose sharply today. Cameco expects its share of the increase in adjusted EBITDA expectations to be $170 million. "This expected increase will be taken into consideration in determining the 2025 distribution payable by Westinghouse to Cameco," according to the press release.

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The increase is related to two nuclear reactors at a power plant in Central Europe. The good news doesn't stop there, because Cameco expects Westinghouse to also benefit from providing fuel services to the plant.

A brighter outlook

The $170 million figure is notable for a company that reported approximately $1.1 billion in adjusted EBITDA for 2024.

It's also important because it further confirms the improving momentum behind investment in nuclear energy as a solution to the challenge of obtaining a reliable source of energy while meeting net-zero emissions targets. As Cameco notes, Westinghouse's expected EBITDA growth over the next five years is 6%-10%. Meanwhile, Cameco's core uranium fuel and nuclear power products and services businesses are set to grow sales at a similar rate.

All of this adds up to an exciting growth outlook for an industry that was written off far too easily in the past.

Should you invest $1,000 in Cameco right now?

Before you buy stock in Cameco, consider this:

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Renewable Partners and Cameco. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Boeing (NYSE: BA) received some positive commentary over a critical issue for its future. At a recent International Air Transport Association (IATA) summit, the president of Emirates airline, Tim Clark, made positive comments on the new widebody 777X, which should reassure investors that Boeing is on the right track under CEO Kelly Ortberg. Here's why.

Emirates airline is a big deal

According to a Reuters article, Clark stated that Emirates had been informed it would receive its first 777X in the second half of 2026 or the first quarter of 2027. In addition, he declared himself "cautiously optimistic" over the turnaround at Boeing and noted progress at the aerospace giant.

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These are just comments. However, they matter, and particularly so when they come from the head of one of the largest international airlines in the world, Emirates. In addition, while Lufthansa is set to receive the first 777X in 2026, Emirates is, by some distance, the largest customer for the 777X at present. The airline has 205 unfilled orders for the 777X, followed by 97 unfilled orders from Qatar Airways, with Singapore Airlines a distant third with 31.

The 777X is also pivotal to Boeing's future. The new widebody is larger and has a more extended range than Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and will service the high-demand long-haul international travel market. Generally, Airbus is considered the leader in the narrowbody market, while Boeing holds the lead in the widebody market. That said, Airbus has surpassed Boeing in the widebody market in recent years, partly due to quality control issues with the 787 and ongoing, costly delays on the Boeing 777X.

Why the 777X matters to investors

Simply put, Boeing needs to keep the 777X on track, not least because airlines are likely to be more hesitant in placing orders when they see continued delivery delays. Furthermore, the delays are extremely costly, in terms of charges, and tying up capital in inventory that won't be utilized until deliveries take place.

The 777X was initially intended to have its first delivery in 2020, and the subsequent delays to that timeline have proved embarrassing and costly for Boeing. In its fourth-quarter 2020 earnings report, Boeing recorded a $6.5 billion pre-tax charge on the program and informed investors that the first 777X delivery would occur in late 2023.

Last October, Boeing announced a $2.6 billion charge, followed by a further $900 million charge in January.

These charges total at least $10 billion. Furthermore, Boeing has inventory tied up in the program, and it's incurring increased research and development costs, with an increase of $525 million in 2023 and $435 million in 2024.

Stemming the flow of these charges and losses would be a significant plus; that's why keeping to the revised 2026 target for first delivery is so important.

It also counts because it discourages airlines from canceling orders and encourages them to place new orders. Suppose Boeing can demonstrate that it can deliver the first 777X in 2026 and effectively ramp up production thereafter. In that case, airlines can begin to build capacity assumptions based on having 777Xs in service at a given time.

What's next for Boeing?

As previously discussed, the three key things investors need to see from Boeing are a satisfactory ramp-up in production on the 737 MAX (to an initial 38 a month), a return to profitability for Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS), and keeping the 777X on track.

With Boeing making tangible progress on the 737 MAX (management expects to reach a 38-month rate soon), and BDS returning to profitability in the first quarter, the positive commentary on the 777X suggests Ortberg is achieving Boeing's three biggest aims in 2025.

That's something likely to support the stock price as it moves through the year.

Should you invest $1,000 in Boeing right now?

Before you buy stock in Boeing, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Boeing wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $669,517!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $868,615!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 792% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 173% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025

Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

For many investors, buying Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has already set them up for life, but will that be true for anyone newly buying into the stock now? Here's a look at what you need to know before buying the stock.

Understanding the investment thesis for Tesla stock

Tesla is an unusual stock, known to most investors primarily as the leading electric vehicle (EV) company, but that isn't the primary value driver of the stock. Indeed, if you look at Tesla solely as a car company, you would likely avoid the stock. Let's put it this way: Tesla currently trades at a price-to-earnings multiple of 192, compared to single-digit multiples at car companies like Ford Motor Company and General Motors.

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The valuation discrepancy doesn't stem from Tesla's superior profit margins or its leading position in the electric vehicle market. Instead, it comes down to Tesla being able to do something that rival car companies haven't yet done or have abandoned trying to do: launch a robotaxi service. General Motors has already abandoned robotaxi development, and Ford (which had planned to have a robotaxi service in place by 2021) ended its investment (alongside Volkswagen) in robotaxi company Argo AI in 2022. Volkswagen plans to launch its robotaxi service in 2026.

So, if Tesla's valuation isn't justified in terms of being a highly successful electric vehicle company, then how should it be viewed?

The following key points apply, and they make Tesla a highly attractive stock for the speculative end of your portfolio:

• The value in Tesla lies in its robotaxi business; this is not purely a car company stock, or even an electric vehicle stock, and its valuation reflects that.
• The reliance on robotaxi/full self-driving (FSD) makes it a speculative growth stock.
• Tesla's installed base of vehicles gives it significant advantages over Waymo and others.
• Tesla is not your average speculative growth stock; it holds significant advantages over typical growth stocks.

Why robotaxis matter and why Tesla isn't your average growth stock

The robotaxi concept and the FSD that powers it are potentially a huge earnings driver for Tesla. One of Tesla's most vocal and visible supporters, Cathie Wood's Ark Invest, which expected a valuation of $2,600 per share for Tesla in 2029, relies on a model that prescribes 88% of the company's value from robotaxis, compared to just 9% from EVs.

The opportunity to earn recurring revenue from selling unsupervised FSD subscriptions to Tesla owners wanting to use their vehicles as robotaxis is massive, as is the potential to generate recurring revenue on a ride-per-mile basis from robotaxis. Moreover, Tesla plans to mass-produce its dedicated robotaxi vehicle, Cybercab, next year.

A speculative growth stock

That said, the robotaxi launch hasn't even taken place yet (it's scheduled for June 12 in Austin), and it will only be on a small scale initially. As such, Tesla is a speculative growth stock, an observation that suggests Tesla stock should be filed on a long list of highly speculative investments to consider on a rainy day.

Why Tesla deserves a place in a balanced portfolio

However, there are differences -- in fact, many differences -- between Tesla and typical growth stocks. First, speculative growth stocks are usually not established leaders in the core business that underpins their growth. The Model Y is not only the best-selling electric vehicle (EV) in the world, but it's also the best-selling car in the world. In other words, Tesla already has a compelling brand and is the market leader in the growth area of the auto market.

Second, this is not a struggling small-cap stock desperately trying to establish brand recognition and promote its new technology to a sceptical marketplace. Waymo has offered a robotaxi service since 2018, and there is little doubt that consumers want to use robotaxis.

Third, Tesla isn't a growth stock struggling with its finances and seeking a larger partner to invest, which would dilute existing shareholders' claims on future cash flows. A quick look at its most recent balance sheet reveals $37 billion in cash and equivalents, alongside $7.5 billion in debt and finance leases, resulting in a net cash position of $29.5 billion.

Finally, Tesla's position as a cost-effective automaker with the capacity and scale to ramp up production and the vehicles on the road means it can produce robotaxis (whether Cybercab or existing Tesla models) to support growth, and it has a vast bank of data from Tesla vehicles to use to improve its FSD capability.

All told, Tesla is speculative because its robotaxis haven't even been launched yet, there's a lot more certainty around the company than in most growth stocks. That makes it worth buying for the risk-seeking end of a portfolio.

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends General Motors and Volkswagen Ag. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.