Fox News' The Five was the top show in total viewers, and Gutfeld! led the way in the demo.

CNN NewsNight and MSNBC's The Last Word led the way for their respective networks in the demo.

Apple is suing a former employee on the Apple Watch team who left to join Oppo, alleging that he “conspired to steal Apple’s trade secrets relating to Apple Watch and to disclose them to his new employers.”

Ahead of starting his new job at Oppo, the employee, Dr. Chen Shi, attended “dozens” of meetings with technical members on the Apple Watch team to learn about their work and downloaded 63 documents “from a protected Box folder” that he loaded onto a USB drive, according to the lawsuit. Shi allegedly sent a message to Oppo saying that he was working to “collect as much information as possible” before starting his job. And he searched the internet for terms like “how to wipe out macbook” and “Can somebody see if I’ve opened a file on a shared drive?” from his Apple-issued MacBook before leaving the company.

Shi was formerly a sensor system architect at Apple, and the company says he had “a front row seat to Apple’s development of its cutting-edge health sensor technology, including highly confidential roadmaps, design and development documents, and specifications for ECG sensor technology.”

He now heads up a team working on sensing technology at Oppo — which Apple says it learned because of “messages he left on his Apple-issued work iPhone.” In his resignation letter to Apple, Shi said he was leaving “due to personal and family reasons.” Via that iPhone, Apple also says it found messages from Oppo demonstrating that it “encouraged, approved, and agreed to Dr. Shi’s plan to collect Apple’s proprietary information before leaving Apple.”

When The Verge tried to contact Oppo for comment, the email bounced back because the mailbox was full.

The US is investing $8.9 billion into Intel, but most of the funds come from money that the government was supposed to pay the embattled chipmaker anyway. In an announcement on Friday, Intel said the federal government will fund its investment using the remaining $5.7 billion in grants it hasn’t yet received under the Biden administration’s CHIPS Act, in addition to the $3.2 billion received as part of the Secure Enclave program.

President Donald Trump confirmed the investment during a press briefing before the formal announcement, saying Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan agreed to give the government a 10 percent stake. Earlier this month, Trump called on Tan to resign over his ties to China, and today he positioned the deal as a way for the executive to “keep his job.”

Trump told reporters that he floated the offer during negotiations with Tan. “I said, ‘I think it would be good having the United States as your partner,’” Trump said. “They’ve agreed to do it, and I think it’s a great deal for them.” Intel has already received $2.2 billion under the CHIPS Act.

The government’s investment in Intel “will be a passive ownership, with no Board representation or other governance or information rights,” according to Intel. “We are grateful for the confidence the President and the Administration have placed in Intel, and we look forward to working to advance U.S. technology and manufacturing leadership,” Tan says in the press release.

The confirmation of the deal comes just days after SoftBank announced plans to invest $2 billion into Intel to “further expand” chipmaking in the US.

The federal government’s stake in the embattled chipmaker marks yet another move that blurs the line between government and business, as reports suggest that the Trump administration has demanded that Nvidia and AMD give the government a 15 percent cut of chip sales to China.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted at the government’s potential investment this week, saying during an interview with CNBC that it “would be a conversion of grants” meant to “stabilize the company for chip production here in the US.”

It doesn’t seem like this is the end for Trump’s approach to deal-making, as he said during the briefing that “he’ll do more of them” in the future.

Update, August 22nd: Added information from Intel.

Netflix has already faced backlash over the use of AI in  What Jennifer Did, director Jenny Popplewell’s 2024 true crime documentary that seemingly used AI-generated images in place of real archival photos. That documentary stood out as a shining example of gen AI’s ability to distort reality in situations where people are specifically looking to be told the truth about something.  Now the streamer is taking steps to avoid similar problems. 

This week, Netflix published a post on its Partner Help Center hub detailing its guiding principles regarding gen AI and the situations in which it is ok with production teams using the technology. In Netflix’s view, gen AI tools are “valuable creative aids” that make it easier for “users to rapidly generate new and creatively unique media (video, sound, text, and image).” Because the gen AI space is moving at such a breakneck pace, however, the company felt that it was important to outline the rules it expects its partners to follow if and when they use these tools.

“To support global productions and stay aligned with best practices, we expect all production partners to share any intended use of GenAI with their Netflix contact, especially as new tools continue to emerge with different capabilities and risks,” the post explains. “Most low-risk use cases that follow the guiding principles below are unlikely to require legal review. However, if the output includes final deliverables, talent likeness, personal data, or third-party IP, written approval will be required before you proceed.”

Netflix’s gen AI best practices are predicated on five specific guidelines that it sees as being “essential to act responsibly when employing generative workflows.” Netflix says:

• The outputs do not replicate or substantially recreate identifiable characteristics of unowned or copyrighted material, or infringe any copyright-protected works
• The generative tools used does not store, reuse, or train on production data inputs or outputs.
• Where possible, generative tools are used in an enterprise-secured environment to safeguard inputs.
• Generated material is temporary and not part of the final deliverables.
• GenAI is not used to replace or generate new talent performances or union-covered work without consent.

Netflix also says if its partners are confident that they are following those guidelines, they only need to tell their designated company contact that they intend to use gen AI. But if partners are unsure or know that they’re not adhering to the rules, they should escalate to your Netflix contact for more guidance before proceeding, as written approval may be required.”

The post repeatedly stresses that while Netflix is very open to its partners using gen AI in a number of ways, it wants them to be mindful of the potential legal risks they might wander into by not running their plans by management and the company’s legal team beforehand. The post also makes a point of emphasizing that Netflix believes “audiences should be able to trust what they see and hear on screen.” And given gen AI’s potential to “blur the line between fiction and reality or unintentionally mislead viewers,” the streamer wants its partners to tread carefully.

Though the post does not mention production costs,  all of this comes just a few weeks after Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said that the company remains “convinced that AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper.” Soon after, Sarandos began pointing to Netflix’s new Argentinian sci-fi series The Eternaut as an example of how gen AI could be used to bring a show in under budget. And now it seems like Netflix is very keen on other creative teams embracing that kind of workflow.

Bluesky will block access from Mississippi IP addresses in response to a new state law requiring age verification and parental consent for underage users. The decision, outlined in a blog post, will stand until courts decide the fate of the law.

“Mississippi’s approach would fundamentally change how users access Bluesky,” says the post, in ways that rules like the UK’s Online Safety Act (which Bluesky complies with) don’t. The law, HB 1126, “would block everyone from accessing the site — teens and adults — unless they hand over sensitive information, and once they do, the law in Mississippi requires Bluesky to keep track of which users are children.” In the UK, by contrast, users are only blocked from accessing direct messages and sensitive content unless they undergo a verification process using a third-party tool. “Building the required verification systems, parental consent workflows, and compliance infrastructure would require significant resources that our small team is currently unable to spare as we invest in developing safety tools and features for our global community, particularly given the law’s broad scope and privacy implications.”

HB 1126 is one of numerous attempts to age-gate social media in the US, but most similar laws have been blocked under court challenges as likely unconstitutional. HB 1126 went into effect thanks to an unexplained decision by the Supreme Court earlier this month, rejecting an emergency request to block it while a legal challenge progresses. A concurring opinion from Justice Brett Kavanaugh acknowledged that the law probably violated the First Amendment but said the plaintiffs had not sufficiently demonstrated harms. While the court has said that age verification can be used to block minors from accessing explicit sexual content without unduly burdening adults’ access to information, there’s no precedent extending that option to social media in general.

Now, however, Bluesky users who log in from inside the borders of Mississippi (without a VPN, anyway) will be met with a message explaining the decision. The decision applies specifically to the Bluesky app; other apps and services on the decentralized AT Protocol will make their own calls about access.

“Child safety is a core priority, and in this evolving regulatory landscape, we remain committed to building an open social ecosystem that protects users while preserving choice and innovation,” the post says. “We’ll keep you updated as this situation develops.”

Meta is partnering with Midjourney to “license their aesthetic technology” for use in its own models and products, Meta’s new chief AI officer, Alexandr Wang, announced on Friday. The partnership involves a “technical collaboration between our research teams,” Wang said, suggesting the deal involves more than simply using Midjourney’s existing product across Meta services.

Wang didn’t specify the terms of arrangement. Meta spokesperson Ashley Gabriel declined to comment and pointed to Wang’s posts. Midjourney didn’t immediately reply to requests for comment. 

Meta has been investing heavily in its AI “superintelligence” efforts as of late to catch up to rivals like OpenAI and Google. Mark Zuckerberg has personally worked to poach AI researchers from other companies with humongous offers — Wang only joined Meta after it paid $14.3 billion to acquire 49 percent of Scale AI, the company he co-founded.

The partnership with Midjourney ties directly into Meta’s goals for AI imagery across its services. The Meta AI app is built around a feed of AI-generated images and videos. Facebook has added a button to create AI images when you go to make a new post. There are options to generate AI images within chats in WhatsApp and Instagram, too.

Midjourney got on the map for its AI image and video generation tools. As Meta works to build out features like the Meta AI app’s social feed, it’s easy to imagine Meta relying on Midjourney’s tech to help people make better-looking photos and videos.

“We are incredibly impressed by Midjourney,” Wang says. “They have accomplished true feats of technical and aesthetic excellence, and we are thrilled to be working more closely with them.” The two companies will share more about what they’re working on together “soon.”

Even with the partnership, Midjourney remains “an independent, community-backed research lab” with “no investors,” founder and CEO David Holz says.

Expect record-breaking temperatures to change the workplace, the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned today in a new report. When workers don’t have adequate protections from heat stress, their health and productivity suffer.

It’s a risk employers and lawmakers have to take more seriously if they want to keep workers safe and businesses prosperous, the agencies say. That means finding ways to adapt in a warming world, and paying close attention to groups that might be more vulnerable than others. 

“Without bold coordinated action, heat stress will become one of the most devastating occupational hazards of our time,” Joaquim Pintado Nunes, chief of the branch responsible for occupational safety and health at the International Labour Organization (ILO), said during a press briefing. 

“One of the most devastating occupational hazards of our time”

More than 2.4 billion people around the world — 71 percent of the working population — experience workplace heat stress, according to estimates from the ILO. Each year, 22.85 million occupational injuries and 18,970 fatalities are linked to excessive heat at work. The report also says that worker productivity falls 2–3 percent with every degree increase above 20 degrees Celsius in wet-bulb globe temperature, a measure that takes humidity and other environmental factors into account.

Record-shattering temperatures are already setting new norms for people in the workplace. Last year was the hottest year on record yet, but perhaps not for long, as planet-heating pollution continues to rise. The past decade, from 2015 to 2024, also marked the warmest on the books. 

A healthy person at rest can regulate core body temperature to between 36.5C and 37.5C (97.7–99.5 Fahrenheit). That gets harder to do the hotter their environment is, or if they’re engaged in physical work or wearing gear that limits the body’s ability to cool itself down when sweat evaporates from skin. A person’s core body temperature shouldn’t rise above 38C (100.4F) for prolonged periods during work shifts, the WHO/WMO report says. 

The effects of heat stress can start off mild, leading to heat rash, cramps, or fatigue that a person can recover from if they have enough time to cool off, rest, and rehydrate. But prolonged or extreme exposure might escalate things, and can result in heat stroke and even neurological dysfunction that could impair a person’s ability to seek help. 

Heat happens to be the leading weather-related killer across the globe. People with certain chronic conditions, children, and older adults who can’t regulate their core body temperature as efficiently as others are more vulnerable. First responders and folks who work outdoors or indoors with equipment that releases heat (stoves or furnaces, for example) also face heightened risks. 

There needs to be more education and awareness around heat stress in the workplace, the WMO and WHO urge. Preventative measures include boosting warning systems for heat waves, similar to warnings people might receive ahead of other environmental disasters. Employers should plan for longer or more frequent breaks, and can redesign uniforms and workplaces to keep workers cooler. They should also have plans for what to do in case of heat-related emergencies. 

Lawmakers can get the ball rolling on this work by introducing policies that standardize these kinds of solutions. In the US, the Biden administration proposed new protections for workers last year in an effort to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths on the job. A heat index of 90F or higher would trigger 15-minute breaks every couple of hours for certain jobs, for instance. But we’ll have to see whether those proposed measures will survive the Trump administration’s deregulatory agenda.

The biggest step that businesses and policymakers can take, of course, is to slash fossil fuel emissions causing global warming. Otherwise, all we can do is keep playing catch-up as the mercury rises. 

“Climate change is reshaping the world of work,” Pintado Nunes said.

Microsoft is testing a new Windows 11 feature that will let you resume using your Android apps right on your PC. The capability is gradually rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels, and only supports the Spotify app for now.

If you’re in the test, you can try out the feature by linking your Android phone to your PC, and then opening up a song on Spotify’s mobile app. From there, Windows 11 will display a “Resume from your phone” notification alongside the Spotify icon and a prompt to “Continue on this PC.”

Once you select the notification, your PC will open Spotify’s desktop app — or prompt you to install it if you haven’t yet — and continue to play the same song from your computer. Microsoft first showcased this feature during a (now-deleted) Build 2025 demo. It sounds pretty similar to Handoff on macOS, which lets you resume your activity on a Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch on another device.

Microsoft doesn’t say how it plans to expand this Handoff-like feature in the future, but I could see it becoming helpful if you want to continue an activity that you started on your phone, like reading an article or writing an email, on your computer.

Bilibili(NASDAQ:BILI) reported results for its fiscal second quarter ended June 30, 2025, on August 28, 2025. Gross margin expanded to 36.5%, up from 29.9% in the same period last year, operating profit reached RMB 252 million, and monthly paying users climbed 9% year over year to 31 million, highlighting strengthening monetization and improved operational leverage.

Advertising margin expands as BILI surpasses industry growth

The company’s advertising business achieved a record RMB 2.4 billion in revenue and outpaced broader industry growth, propelled by upgrades to ad infrastructure, smart placement, and Large Language Model (LLM) enhancements. Performance-based advertising revenue grew approximately 30% year over year, with effective cost per mille (eCPM) up over 10% year over year, while the number of unique advertisers rose more than 20% year over year.

"In the second quarter, our advertising business maintained strong growth, outpacing the overall industry. Quarterly revenue reached a record high of RMB 2.4 billion, up 20% year over year. Speaking of the driver behind that growth, we continue to focus on the one horizontal and vertical strategy. In this quarter, we continued to strengthen our ad infrastructure product, and technology efficiency allowed us to further unleash our users' value and traffic value."
-- Rui Chen, Chairman and CEO

Advertising revenues increased 20% year over year, with performance-based advertising revenue growing around 30% and eCPM up over 10%. This demonstrates the company’s ability to leverage technology and data to drive above-industry growth in a competitive digital advertising landscape.

Bilibili games revenue outperforms with sustainable new titles

Game revenues surged 60% year over year to RMB 1.6 billion as titles like Samo broke user and monetization records, further supported by evergreen franchises FGO and Azerlane. New monetization features such as limited edition skins were successfully piloted during major in-game events. The launch of a traditional Chinese version is expected at the end of this year or early next year, with overseas expansion also being explored.

"On June 13, Samo celebrated its first anniversary, and during that season, the DAU broke a new record within the year of 2025. The achievement of Samo on its first anniversary truly demonstrates that the game has established itself and laid a foundation to become a long-lasting title. We are confident that Samo will become a lifestyle with a life cycle of over five years and continue to contribute solid game revenue for us. During the season eight and anniversary celebration event, we have launched multiple new monetization tools such as the limited edition skins, which were well received by our users. We believe, for example, the skin sales during the anniversary have met our expectations and show that we have explored a new monetization tool that is even more healthy and sustainable compared to other tools."
-- Rui Chen, Chairman and CEO

This combination of recurring engagement from existing franchises and successful experimentation with monetization models is contributing to resilient, high-margin growth, positioning the company for further expansion in both domestic and international gaming markets.

Operational leverage drives sustained profit and margin expansion

Gross profit grew 46% year over year to RMB 2.7 billion, while group operating profit turned positive to RMB 252 million, with adjusted operating margin reaching 7.8%. Total operating expenses were stable year over year at RMB 2.4 billion, reflecting disciplined cost management and efficiency improvements.

"So we saw very strong operating leverage here. Our gross margin has been increased sequentially for 12 quarters. We expect the same trend to continue in the 37% by Q4, let's say. So we still maintain our midterm gross profit margin target of 40% to 45%. And for the OpEx, we have continued to improve our efficiency of the operation. So if you look at the absolute dollar amount of our OpEx in the first half of this year, it's pretty flat year over year."
-- Sam Fan, CFO

The company’s ability to translate vigorous topline growth into improving operating and net profit margins reflects a scalable, asset-light business model and creates greater headroom for future reinvestment and shareholder return initiatives.

Looking Ahead

The company is targeting a 10% adjusted operating margin in the fourth quarter of 2025 and a medium-term range of 15% to 20%. Cash flows remain robust, with RMB 22.3 billion (USD 3.1 billion) in liquidity as of June 30, 2025, and ongoing execution of a USD 200 million buyback program, with USD 84 million remaining as of June 30, 2025. The company plans to expand AI-powered tools for content creation and ad delivery, pursue regional and international game launches, and further improve operational efficiency; no explicit full-year revenue or user metric guidance was disclosed on this call.

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Key Points

• Revenue jumped nearly 50 % year over year to $759.2 million and beat analyst estimates by a wide margin.

• Operating margin and GAAP net income surged, driven by higher gross margins and a one-time tax benefit.

• Management reaffirmed a quarterly dividend and announced a new $500 million share repurchase program.

• These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires ›

Ubiquiti (NYSE:UI), a global networking technology company best known for its internet infrastructure hardware and software, reported results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 on August 22, 2025. The period featured standout performance, with GAAP revenue of $759.2 million far surpassing both last year's levels and analyst expectations. Operating metrics, including gross margin and GAAP net income, rose sharply. GAAP revenue totaled $759.2 million, compared to a GAAP estimate of $517.36 million. Non-GAAP earnings per share reached $3.54 versus an estimate of $2.14. The results, which also included expanded margin and exceptional net income growth, reflected a strong period for the company and its core business segments.

Metric	Q4 FY2025(ended June 30, 2025)	Q4 FY2025 Estimate†	Q4 FY2024(ended June 30, 2024)	Y/Y Change
EPS (Non-GAAP)	$3.54	$2.14	$1.74	103.4%
Revenue	$759.2 million	$517.36 million	$507.5 million	49.6%
Gross Margin	45.1%		40.2%	4.9 pp
GAAP Net Income	$266.7 million		$103.8 million	156.9%
Income from Operations	$261.4 million		$138.4 million	88.8%

Source: Analyst estimates for the quarter provided by FactSet.

Ubiquiti's Business Profile and Growth Drivers

Ubiquiti (NYSE:UI) is a networking technology company focused on designing, manufacturing, and selling wireless communications products for enterprise and internet service provider markets. It delivers network equipment, cloud-enabled management systems, and related software solutions, serving customers across more than 75 countries.

A core feature of its approach is its non-traditional business model. Rather than employing a large direct sales force, it relies on community-driven marketing, web-based distribution, and a global network of partners. The company’s success depends on proprietary technology platforms, robust brand loyalty driven by its user base, continuous innovation through research and development, and close management of its global supply chain.

Quarter in Review: Key Results and Drivers

Revenue reached a record for the company in the fourth quarter. The Enterprise Technology segment, which includes products for enterprise networking such as the UniFi hardware and software platform and UISP tools for internet service providers, delivered the vast majority of growth in the fourth quarter and throughout FY2025. Enterprise Technology revenue jumped 57.6% compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. Service Provider Technology saw growth of 2.7% compared to fiscal 2024.

Gross margin, a measure of profit made on each dollar of sales before other operating costs, rose to 45.1%. This represented both a sequential improvement from the prior period and a sizeable increase compared to last year. The gross margin improvement (GAAP) stemmed from a favorable product mix and lower inventory and shipping expenses, partially offset by higher tariffs. Lower inventory and shipping expenses also contributed, although higher tariffs continued to weigh on profitability.

Revenue in North America climbed to $379.9 million on a GAAP basis, compared to $253.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, a 50% increase. Europe, the Middle East, and Africa brought in $303.8 million (GAAP), compared to $194.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, growing 56.5%. Asia Pacific revenue was $47.3 million, compared to $32.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, a 48% increase. The company's customer base remained highly diversified, with no single customer contributing more than 10% of total revenue.

Operating expenses moved higher, reflecting scale and ongoing investments. Research and development expenses were $47.5 million, compared to $44.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. Selling, general, and administrative costs (GAAP) grew more quickly, up 56% to $33.9 million, mainly attributed to higher customer-facing costs such as payment processing, receivable reserves, broader marketing, and professional fees. Income from operations increased 89.0% year over year as higher sales more than offset expense growth.

Net income, the company’s bottom-line profit, grew 156.9% year over year to $266.7 million. This result was boosted by a one-time benefit of $53.7 million related to deferred tax assets following an intangible property realignment. Excluding this item, non-GAAP net income increased more than 100%, indicating robust underlying profit growth. On a per-share basis, GAAP diluted earnings rose to $4.41 versus $1.72 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share increased to $3.54 from $1.74 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024.

Capital allocation also featured prominently. The board authorized a new $500 million share repurchase program, as disclosed in the Form 8-K filed on August 22, 2025. The company maintained its regular quarterly dividend of $0.80 per share, as it continues its approach to returning capital to shareholders.

Business Model and Strategic Focus

The company’s business model emphasizes online sales and community-driven engagement instead of a conventional direct sales team. It continues to benefit from global reach and rapid scalability while maintaining a disciplined cost structure. The well-diversified revenue base—with more than 75 countries served and no major revenue concentration—mitigates market and customer risk.

Proprietary platforms such as UniFi (enterprise systems featuring network switches, access points, and cloud-managed controllers) and UISP (software and hardware solutions for internet service providers) underpin growth for the company. These platforms combine hardware with proprietary operating systems and management software. R&D remains central, supporting continuous product refreshes and expansion into new segments, as seen in the sustained increase in development spending, which rose from $145.2 million in fiscal 2023 to $159.8 million in fiscal 2024 and $169.7 million in fiscal 2025. The company’s attention to supply chain continuity and manufacturing partners, mainly located in Asia, remains a risk and a critical area for ongoing management focus, with tariffs and international sourcing highlighted as continuing headwinds.

Looking Ahead: Guidance and Investor Focus Points

Management did not provide forward guidance for fiscal 2026 in this earnings release. meaning investors will need to rely on the data and trends reported this quarter, as well as updates in future filings and presentations. The company intends to pay regular quarterly cash dividends of at least $0.80 per share during each quarter of fiscal 2026, although all subsequent dividends are subject to final determination by the Board each quarter.

In the absence of detailed forward guidance, factors investors may want to watch include the pace of operating expense growth, gross margin stability, ongoing effects from tariffs, and the impact of sustained R&D investment. Management introduced a new $500 million share repurchase program, as disclosed on August 22, 2025, expanding its capital return toolkit for upcoming periods. As products in the Enterprise Technology segment continue to drive overall business performance, ongoing innovation and successful navigation of supply chain risks will be important variables for future quarters.

The company declared a $0.80 per share cash dividend payable on September 8, 2025, and intends to pay regular quarterly cash dividends of at least $0.80 per share during each quarter of fiscal 2026, subject to Board approval.

Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.

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Key Points

• EPS (Non-GAAP) was $1.14, surpassing non-GAAP estimates and This represented a 4.6% year-over-year increase in the thirteen weeks ended August 2, 2025.

• Total revenue (GAAP) grew 3.4% to $5.38 billion, but came in slightly below consensus estimates.

• Membership fee income jumped 9.0 % to $123 million, reflecting gains from a fee increase and more members.

• These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires ›

BJ's Wholesale Club (NYSE:BJ), a membership-based warehouse retailer operating throughout the eastern U.S, reported its earnings for the thirteen weeks ended August 2, 2025, on August 22, 2025. The company posted adjusted earnings per share (Non-GAAP) of $1.14, ahead of the $1.09 estimate, and up from $1.09 a year earlier. While total revenue (GAAP) climbed to $5.38 billion, it still represented an increase on the prior year. Management raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $4.20–$4.35, reflecting continued confidence. The quarter showed steady improvements in key areas, with positive momentum in membership and digital sales, but softer top-line performance due to fuel price trends and rising operating costs.

Metric	Q2 2025(Thirteen weeks ended August 2, 2025)	Q2 2025 Estimate	Q2 2024(Thirteen weeks ended August 3, 2024)	Y/Y Change
EPS (Non-GAAP)	$1.14	$1.09	$1.09	4.6 %
Revenue	$5.38 billion	$5.49 billion	$5.21 billion	3.4 %
Adjusted EBITDA	$304 million		$281 million	8.2 %
Membership Fee Income	$123 million		$113 million	9.0 %
Comparable Club Sales, ex. Gasoline	2.3 %	N/A	N/A	N/A

Source: Analyst estimates provided by FactSet. Management expectations based on management's guidance, as provided in Q1 2025 earnings report.

Understanding BJ's Business and Focus Areas

BJ's Wholesale Club operates a chain of warehouse-style retail clubs where shoppers must buy annual memberships to access savings on groceries, general merchandise, and gasoline. Its model resembles other warehouse clubs but focuses heavily on the eastern United States, concentrating its footprint in high-density regions.

Key to the business is its membership subscription, which brings a steady stream of income and drives customer retention. Recent priorities include expanding digital services, growing its portfolio of private label products (its own brands like Wellsley Farms), improving supply chain logistics, and carefully adding new locations. Success depends on attracting and retaining members, effectively managing club growth, and maintaining operational efficiency in the face of cost and competitive pressures.

This Quarter: Performance Drivers and Key Developments

The quarter saw modest increases in both revenue and profits, with the company delivering earnings per share above expectations. Total revenue grew 3.4% year-over-year in the thirteen weeks ended August 2, 2025, reflecting both strong merchandise sales and a 9.0 % jump in membership fee income. This higher membership income was partly due to a fee increase that took effect in January 2025, and a continued rise in overall membership totals, now topping 8 million for the first time.

Comparable club sales, which measure sales growth in stores open for a year or more, declined by 0.3% on a headline basis, mainly due to lower gasoline prices. When excluding gasoline sales, comparable sales rose 2.3%, in line with previous guidance and reflecting solid performance in food and general merchandise. Digitally enabled comparable sales grew 34% year-over-year in the thirteen weeks ended August 2, 2025. This includes customers using the BJ's app, taking advantage of buy-online-pickup-in-club, and ExpressPay services, which are designed to speed up checkout and enhance convenience. Management noted that digital sales now contribute more to overall member engagement and average spending, even as margins on digital transactions tend to be slightly lower than in-store.

The company continued to invest in its private label products, which made up approximately 26% of merchandise sales (excluding gasoline) in FY2024. These brands help to bolster margins and loyalty by offering members exclusive value options. While BJ's did not break out specific private label sales figures for the quarter, profitability remained positively affected.

Gross profit (GAAP) increased by 5.6% compared to Q2 FY2024, and Merchandise gross margin (measuring the percentage of revenue left after merchandise costs) increased by 0.1 percentage point compared to Q2 FY2024. This uptick was tied to investments in new club and gas station openings and related costs, such as labor and depreciation. The period included share repurchases, with 375,000 shares bought back.

What to Watch Looking Ahead

BJ’s raised its adjusted earnings outlook, now expecting non-GAAP EPS of $4.20–$4.35, up slightly from earlier projections. Guidance for comparable club sales, excluding gasoline, remains at 2.0% to 3.5% growth for the full year. Capital investment plans hold steady at about $800 million, targeting new club openings and ongoing improvements to digital and supply chain capabilities.

For investors, ongoing club expansion, membership growth, trends in digital adoption, and management’s ability to control operating expenses will be important themes in the year ahead.

Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.

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Spotify is testing a new audio mixing feature that allows you to customize track transitions for your playlists. Now rolling out in beta for “eligible Premium users,” the Mix feature provides an option to automatically blend transitions between tracks, or manually adjust aspects like volume, EQ, and effect curves while looking at waveform and beat data to create unique transitions.

This allows users to make songs flow into each other instead of just letting one track abruptly finish and another begin. It sounds like an easy way to experiment with basic audio mixing features before getting to grips with more extensive mixing software such as Apple Logic Pro, Reaper, or Audacity. You could use it just to enhance your own listening experience, or provide a better “DJ” experience when you’re in charge of the aux cable at parties or social gatherings.

Spotify says that Premium users can also collaborate with each other to create mixed playlists. It’s unclear when this feature will be available outside of beta, or which Premium users currently have access. Spotify says you’ll need to make sure your app is up to date, but I’m not seeing it available on my own premium account for iOS in the UK. I’ve asked Spotify for more details about availability.

Premium users who do have access to the Mix feature will see it appear in the toolbar on playlists that they have created. Alongside the “Auto” option to quickly create transitions, the customization options include presets for “Fade” or “Rise” to easily apply different transition styles. When you’re happy with the transitions for each track in the playlist, hit “Save” to listen to the results. If you want to listen to the unmixed version of the same playlist, you can toggle the transitions on or off by pressing the “Mix” button.

Nanoleaf has announced a new version of its 4D immersive TV lighting kit that includes an LED light strip adding an ambient glow behind your TV, connected to a camera that it uses to match what’s on the screen. As with the original that debuted in early 2023, the new Nanoleaf 4D V2 is a cheaper and simpler alternative to products that integrate with your home theater using HDMI, like the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box 8K that launched last year at $350 and has seen its price increase to as much as $385.

The Nanoleaf 4D V2 is available today through the company’s online store for $99.99, and will come to Amazon and Best Buy in September. That’s the same price as the original kit, but while Nanoleaf previously sold the 4D in two sizes for TVs up to 85 inches, the new 4D V2 kit is only designed for screens up to 65 inches.

Powered by a better color-matching algorithm, Nanoleaf says the included LED light strip and camera with the 4D V2 can make both whites and colors look brighter and more vivid. It features a new zigzag design that’s lighter and more flexible, so it’s potentially easier to install around the perimeter of the back of your TV without the need for supportive corner brackets. Like the original, the light strip can be trimmed with scissors to better fit smaller TVs, and the lighting effects will automatically readjust for the shorter length.

Both the light strip and camera connect to a small control box that can be powered over USB-C. It offers four modes, including ambient lighting with slower transitions or faster color changes that more closely mirror what’s happening on screen. The box also connects to Nanoleaf’s mobile and desktop apps, and using the company’s Sync Plus feature, it can control other Nanoleaf lighting products to expand your immersive TV experience to an entire room.

1kWh power stations like Anker’s new Solix C1000 Gen 2 are in the sweet spot for most people in need of a big-ass battery. Its long-lasting LFP chemistry and 2,000W inverter combine during a blackout to keep devices like a router, fridge/freezer, and some lights running for a few hours, and it’s portable enough for a weekend barbecue, outdoor movie night, or to drop into the car for an outdoor getaway.

And like all power stations it comes slathered in ports, including 5x standard wall jacks, 3x USB-C (2x 140W, 1x 15W), 1x USB-A, and 1x 120W cigarette socket to power devices like a portable fridge or coffee maker. It weighs 24.9 pounds (11.3kg), can function as a UPS when otherwise idle, accepts up to 1600W of charging power from a standard wall jack, and up to 600W from attached solar panels so it can function as a solar generator.

The Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 portable power station is available for just $429 if you register interest before September 8th, after which it increases to $799.