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2026-07-20 02:11 • The Motley Fool Neutral Axe Cap view: Selective GOOG GOOGL GOOGM GOOGN

Alphabet is scheduled to report critical information to shareholders. Investors are particularly interested in learning about the company's AI investments and how management is justifying these massive expenditures. The article suggests this upcoming investor update is a key moment for potential buyers to consider.

Axe note: Alphabet’s upcoming investor update on AI spending offers a critical moment for cautious investors to reassess risk and opportunity.

2026-07-20 00:30 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective COST

A $1,000 investment in Costco stock 20 years ago would have grown to $17,790 without dividend reinvestment, or $26,130 with reinvested dividends, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's $6,030 and $8,832 respectively. While Costco's valuation metrics appear fairly valued to slightly overvalued with a forward P/E ratio of 41.7, the company continues strong growth with 12% revenue and 15% net income increases, making it suitable for long-term investors despite not being a bargain at current levels.

Axe note: Costco’s long-term gains highlight the power of steady growth and dividends, but local investors should temper expectations given valuation concerns and no direct JSE link.

2026-07-19 23:31 • The Motley Fool Negative Axe Cap view: Selective CRWV APLD

CoreWeave demonstrates significantly stronger revenue growth than Applied Digital, with Q1 2026 revenue exceeding $2 billion compared to Applied Digital's $126.6 million. While CoreWeave shows consistent quarter-over-quarter expansion driven by AI computing demand and a $100 billion backlog, both companies face challenges from high debt loads ($25 billion and $2.6 billion respectively) that have pressured share prices. CoreWeave trades at a lower price-to-sales ratio of 6, while Applied Digital's valuation multiple of 21 appears expensive relative to its more modest growth trajectory.

Axe note: CoreWeave’s revenue growth dwarfs Applied Digital’s, but large debt and mixed margins complicate the picture.

2026-07-19 23:30 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective AMZN

Anthropic is moving toward a potential October IPO at a $1.2 trillion valuation. Amazon, which has invested $13 billion and owns 15-20% of the company, stands to benefit significantly. Beyond the investment gains of $180-240 billion, Amazon will gain from Anthropic's $100+ billion in AWS commitments over the next decade, including AI infrastructure capacity. The IPO will strengthen Anthropic's financial position and support its aggressive AI spending, benefiting Amazon's cloud computing business.

Axe note: Anthropic’s potential $1.2 trillion IPO could significantly boost Amazon, with ripple effects for cloud tech demand and USD/ZAR.

2026-07-19 23:15 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective MU SNDK F FPB FPC FPD STLA AMT VZ T TBB TPA TPC TMUS TMUSI TMUSL TMUSZ ASTS RIVN AMZN

Oil prices surged 5% following the U.S. cancellation of Iran sanctions waivers and ceasefire declaration, triggering a market pullback with the Nasdaq down 5%. However, analysts suggest this may be overblown volatility driven by algorithmic trading rather than fundamental concerns. The market remains up 9% year-to-date despite sector rotation, with tech stocks experiencing significant swings. The podcast also discusses emerging low-cost EV options like Fiat's Topolino and Slate's $25,000 truck, questioning whether Americans will embrace practical, affordable vehicles. American Tower's debt is deemed manageable due to sticky telecom contracts, while satellite technology is unlikely to disrupt traditional tower infrastructure in the near term.

Axe note: Rising oil prices triggered market jitters, pulling key indices lower and adding pressure on South Africa’s rand.

2026-07-19 22:38 • The Motley Fool Mixed Axe Cap view: Selective SPCX GIS

SpaceX stock has declined below its IPO price of $193 to around $126 since its June debut. In contrast, General Mills offers a more attractive investment with a 6.3% dividend yield, 8.7% total shareholder yield, undervalued valuation metrics (P/E of 12.5), and defensive characteristics that would hold up better in a potential market downturn or recession.

Axe note: SpaceX’s fall below IPO price contrasts sharply with steady income and value in traditional dividend payers.

2026-07-19 22:26 • The Motley Fool Mixed Axe Cap view: Selective AMZN GOOG GOOGL GOOGM GOOGN MU LMT LHX KTOS AVAV

Despite posting record profits, semiconductor and AI-related stocks are experiencing significant selloffs as investors question whether expectations have gotten ahead of fundamentals. Samsung's 19x profit increase triggered a Korean market circuit breaker, while hyperscalers like Amazon and Alphabet continue massive capital spending on AI infrastructure. The defense sector is shifting toward smaller, cheaper drones and digitalization, with Lockheed Martin acquiring Ultra Maritime for sonar capabilities.

Axe note: Global AI excitement overshadows fundamentals, with local markets weighing the impact cautiously.

2026-07-19 22:18 • The Motley Fool Mixed Axe Cap view: Selective AMD NVTS WOLF

AMD has demonstrated strong and steady revenue growth of 77% over eight quarters, reaching $10.3 billion in Q1 2026, while Navitas Semiconductor has experienced a 58% revenue decline to $8.6 million in the same period. Although Navitas intentionally exited its China mobile and consumer businesses to focus on AI, the company faces headwinds from a Wolfspeed patent lawsuit and shareholder dilution concerns from a $500 million equity offering.

Axe note: AMD’s strong AI-driven revenue growth contrasts sharply with Navitas Semiconductor’s decline and legal woes, offering clear signals for investors.

2026-07-19 22:10 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective JNJ KVUE

Johnson & Johnson delivered strong earnings with revenue growth of 6% to $25 billion and raised full-year guidance to $101.1 billion. Key drugs like Darzalex (up 18%) and Tremfya (up 72%) offset Stelara declines. While the stock has gained 22% this year and trades near valuation highs, the company's broad portfolio of 28+ blockbuster products and 50+ years of dividend increases make it attractive for long-term and dividend-focused investors, though value investors may wait for a better entry point.

Axe note: Johnson & Johnson’s strong earnings highlight steady pharma growth, yet South African investors must weigh local currency and valuation factors.

2026-07-19 20:23 • The Motley Fool Neutral Axe Cap view: Selective GOOG GOOGL GOOGM GOOGN

Google's flagship AI model Gemini 3.5 Pro is months behind its promised June launch date as the company works to improve coding capabilities, raising concerns about competition from OpenAI and Anthropic. Alphabet's stock has declined 15% from its 2026 peak. However, strong Q1 results show Google Cloud revenue grew 63% year-over-year and the cloud backlog nearly doubled to $460 billion, suggesting customer demand remains healthy despite the delay.

Axe note: A late AI launch dents Alphabet’s stock, but strong cloud growth keeps the story alive.

2026-07-19 20:12 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective TWST ARKK ARKG CRCL SOFI

Cathie Wood's Ark ETFs sold over $11 million worth of Twist Bioscience stock on June 30, 2026, despite the synthetic DNA manufacturer's stock climbing 190% year-to-date. The sales appear to be portfolio rebalancing rather than a loss of confidence, as Ark still holds over $332 million in Twist across its ETFs. The proceeds were used to purchase stakes in other companies like Circle Internet Group and SoFi Technologies.

Axe note: Ark’s trim of Twist Bioscience reflects profit-taking, not panic—worth watching but proceed with caution.

2026-07-19 19:05 • The Motley Fool Mixed Axe Cap view: Selective TSLA BYDDY RIVN SPCX

Tesla reports Q2 earnings on July 22 with strong vehicle sales up 25% year-over-year (480,126 units sold). While the core EV business faces competition from BYD and Rivian, Tesla's growth opportunities lie in services (up 42%), full self-driving software, and the Optimus robot project. Analysts have a consensus price target of $425, representing 11.5% upside potential. Much depends on Musk's ability to convince investors about Tesla's long-term vision during the earnings call.

Axe note: Tesla’s strong Q2 vehicle sales and growing services segment set the stage, but local investors should brace for volatility around the July 22 earnings call.

2026-07-19 19:01 • The Motley Fool Neutral Axe Cap view: Neutral OKLO

Oklo's stock has declined 42% in 2026, but analysts maintain a median one-year price target of $87, suggesting potential 112% upside. However, the article cautions that these targets may be overly optimistic in the short term, as Oklo lacks commercial operations and meaningful revenue generation despite strong funding of $2.5 billion in cash. The author recommends patience, suggesting a better risk-to-reward ratio if investors extend their investment timeline beyond one year.

Axe note: Despite bullish analyst targets, Oklo’s lack of revenue and operations means South African investors should remain cautious for now.

2026-07-19 15:30 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective BE ORCL ORCLPD BAM FCEL

Bloom Energy is positioned to transform as hydrogen fuel cells gain mainstream adoption for powering AI data centers. Major deals with Oracle, Brookfield, and others signal the fuel cell industry is reaching a critical tipping point, with the market expected to grow 37% annually through 2031. Despite a 40% decline from June peaks, the company's profitability and unique multi-fuel technology make it well-positioned for future growth.

Axe note: As hydrogen fuel cells gain traction globally, Sasol stands to reshape its business beyond traditional oil and coal.

2026-07-19 15:23 • The Motley Fool Neutral Axe Cap view: Neutral QBTS

D-Wave Quantum CEO Alan Baratz sold 52,320 shares (~$976k) on July 14, 2026, through a non-discretionary sale-to-cover transaction to satisfy tax withholding obligations from RSU vesting. The CEO retains ~3.2 million shares post-transaction, indicating continued alignment with the company. Despite the sale, D-Wave's stock has appreciated 20% over the past year, driven by $100M federal funding, the Quantum Circuits acquisition, and record quarterly bookings of $33.4M. However, the company remains unprofitable with a $54.7M operational loss in Q1.

Axe note: Despite the CEO selling shares to cover taxes, D-Wave Quantum’s financials signal both promise and caution.

2026-07-19 15:15 • The Motley Fool Neutral Axe Cap view: Selective MSFT HSY HRL BRK.A BRK.B

Warren Buffett has redirected his charitable giving away from the Bill Gates Foundation for the first time in 20 years, instead donating his $140 billion Berkshire Hathaway stake to foundations run by his children by 2034. This shift could have significant implications for Berkshire's future operations, potentially leading to dividend payments to support the foundations' philanthropic goals, which may differ from Buffett's traditional reinvestment strategy.

Axe note: Warren Buffett plans to donate his Berkshire Hathaway shares away from the Gates Foundation, possibly changing the company’s future payout approach.

2026-07-19 15:13 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective GOOG GOOGL GOOGM GOOGN AAPL AXP KO BAC BACPB BACPE BACPK BACPL BACPM BACPN BACPO BACPP BACPQ BACPS BMLPG BMLPH BMLPJ BMLPL MERPK BRK.A BRK.B

Warren Buffett confirmed he personally initiated Berkshire Hathaway's $31 billion investment in Alphabet, admitting he should have invested years earlier. The position includes $21 billion in public shares and a $10 billion private placement from Alphabet's $80 billion equity raise. Buffett expressed confidence in Alphabet's ability to outperform competitors in the AI infrastructure race, though he noted it ranks fifth among Berkshire's holdings and isn't his favorite investment.

Axe note: Warren Buffett’s $31 billion Alphabet investment underscores AI’s promise but offers limited direct clues for JSE stocks.

2026-07-19 14:35 • The Motley Fool Neutral Axe Cap view: Selective GRAB GRABW

Grab Holdings Limited CFO Peter Oey sold 50,000 Class A Ordinary Shares on July 15 for approximately $191,500, leaving him with 6.9 million shares worth $26.4 million. The sale was executed under a 10b5-1 trading plan, which pre-establishes transaction timing to avoid any appearance of trading on material non-public information. Similar share sales by CEO Anthony Tan and CPO Philipp Kandal in July were also conducted under 10b5-1 plans. Grab's stock has underperformed the broader market, declining 33.2% over the past year.

Axe note: Grab CFO Peter Oey sold 50,000 shares under a pre-set trading plan, signaling no immediate red flags.

2026-07-19 14:30 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective SPY VOO SCHD XLK QQQ

The article recommends a three-ETF portfolio strategy for complete diversification without requiring extensive stock picking. Start with a broad S&P 500 index fund (SPY or VOO) as the foundation, add a dividend/value ETF (SCHD) to hedge against growth stock volatility, and include a technology sector ETF (XLK or QQQ) for growth exposure. This approach provides instant diversification while acknowledging that most active investors underperform the market.

Axe note: A simple US ETF trio offers broad exposure and growth options for rand-based portfolios.

2026-07-19 14:15 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective IBKR SCHW SCHWPD SCHWPJ HOOD

Interactive Brokers reported strong June 2026 metrics with 34% year-over-year growth in customer accounts to 5.185 million, 40% increase in client equity to $930.3 billion, and 53% surge in trading volume. The company also saw margin loan balances jump 67% to $108.5 billion. Q1 2026 revenues grew 17% to $1.67 billion with adjusted earnings up 28% to $0.60 per share. However, the stock trades at valuations roughly twice its five-year averages, suggesting high market expectations that could lead to disappointment if Q2 results don't exceed forecasts.

Axe note: Interactive Brokers posted stellar growth but is richly valued, signaling caution for local investors watching FX and banking sectors.