Papa John’s International Inc. (STAR)
Pop quiz! Shares of Papa John’s International rose after: a) the Trump administration established a strategic pizza reserve to feed Americans during a national emergency; b) Wall Street analysts cited the company’s “attractive sauce-to-crust ratio” as a reason to buy the shares; c) unconfirmed reports said private equity giant Apollo Global Management is considering a US$64-per-share offer for the pizza chain. Answer: c.
Bunge Global SA (STAR)
U.S. soybean farmers may not love Donald Trump’s trade war with China, but Bunge Global investors sure do. With China refusing to buy U.S. soybeans, Mr. Trump threatened to retaliate by cutting off U.S. imports of Chinese cooking oil, sending shares of Bunge – a U.S.-based soybean processor and cooking oil producer – to a one-year high. U.S. soybean farmers, meanwhile, are reeling from the loss of their biggest customer. “Let’s be clear: This is a man-made disaster caused by Donald Trump and his administration,” one Illinois farmer said. Art of the Deal, indeed.
NuScale Power Corp. (STAR)
NuScale Power Corp. investors are positively radiating with happiness. Shares of the small-modular-reactor developer surged to a record high after the U.S. Army announced a program to develop “next-generation nuclear power.” The army didn’t name NuScale specifically, but investors are betting the company and others in the SMR space – such as Oklo Inc. and Nano Nuclear Energy Inc. – could land fat contracts. Folks who missed out on the gains are having a meltdown.
Celestica Inc. (STAR)
Things that keep going up: 1) The U.S. national debt; 2) The number of monthly streaming subscriptions you forgot to cancel; 3) Celestica’s stock price. The Canadian tech manufacturer’s shares soared after Goldman Sachs initiated coverage with a buy rating and a price target of US$340 (or about $478 for the TSX-listed shares), citing booming demand from AI data centres. After the shares gained more than 1,000 per cent in the past two years, surely it’s too late to jump in now … right? Right?
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. (DOG)
There once was a company called Hewlett Packard
Whose long market win streak was suddenly shattered
When its guidance disappointed
Folks laughed and they pointed
As the stock hit the brakes, then promptly went backward