BRC Group stock rises after regaining Nasdaq compliance

Investing.com -- Vishay Intertechnology Inc (NYSE:VSH) stock gained 3% on Wednesday after the company announced the release of five new 1200 V MOSFET power modules designed to increase power efficiency in medium to high frequency applications.

The new modules feature Vishay’s latest generation silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs in the industry-standard SOT-227 package, targeting automotive, energy, industrial, and telecom systems. The VS-SF50LA120, VS-SF50SA120, VS-SF100SA120, VS-SF150SA120, and VS-SF200SA120 are offered in single switch and low side chopper configurations.

Each module integrates a SiC MOSFET with a soft body diode that offers low reverse recovery, which reduces switching losses and increases efficiency. The products target applications including solar inverters, electric vehicle off-board chargers, SMPS, DC/DC converters, UPS systems, HVAC equipment, large-scale battery storage systems, and telecom power supplies.

The compact SOT-227 package allows the devices to serve as drop-in replacements for competing solutions in existing designs. This feature enables designers to implement newer SiC technologies without changing PCB layouts, potentially saving development costs and time.

The power modules provide continuous drain current ranging from 50 A to 200 A and low on-resistance down to 12.1 mΩ. They also feature high-speed switching with low capacitance and can operate at junction temperatures up to +175 °C.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- Canadian telecom stocks have shown varying performance over the past year, with some companies delivering impressive returns while others struggle to gain momentum. According to WarrenAI, using Investing Pro’s metrics, Quebecor has emerged as the clear leader in the sector, followed by Rogers Communications, Cogeco, BCE, and TELUS.

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The Canadian telecom landscape features companies with strong dividend yields and varying growth trajectories. The rankings below consider fair value assessments, total returns, EBITDA margins, forward P/E ratios, dividend yields, and analyst price targets to identify the most promising investments in this sector.

1. Quebecor (TSX:QBR.A) – The Breakout Growth Leader

Quebecor tops the list with an impressive 59.7% one-year total return and a robust 35.4% EBITDA margin. The company boasts the highest ROE in the sector at 38.5%, demonstrating exceptional operational discipline. Trading at a forward P/E of 13.1x with a 2.8% dividend yield, Quebecor offers a compelling combination of growth and income. While its current price suggests it may be slightly overbought compared to its fair value of C$45.59, technical indicators remain bullish for the long term, and analysts project EPS growth of 17.5% in 2025.

In recent news, Quebecor reported its first-quarter 2024 results, noting a 22.4% increase in revenues to C$1.36 billion and a 25.1% rise in adjusted EBITDA to C$614.5 million.

2. Rogers Communications (NYSE:RCI) – The Value Recovery Play

Rogers Communications secures the second position with a 32% one-year return and sector-leading 44.7% EBITDA margin. With a fair value of $38.24, forward P/E of 10.2x, and 3.9% dividend yield, Rogers offers value potential. Most notably, analysts project a 57% upside from current levels – the highest among Canada’s "big three" telecoms. Recent upgrades and an improving cable/wireless mix signal positive momentum, though short-term technical indicators show some bearishness, potentially creating an entry opportunity for value investors.

Rogers Communications announced first-quarter 2024 total revenue of C$5.05 billion, a 28% increase, while adjusted EBITDA grew by 30% to C$2.23 billion. The company also reaffirmed its financial guidance for the year.

3. Cogeco Inc (TSX:CGO) – The Small-Cap Contrarian

Cogeco ranks third with a 34.9% one-year return and posts the sector’s highest dividend yield at 5.8%. The company stands out with the lowest forward P/E ratio (7.3x) and an impressive 47.8% EBITDA margin. Despite facing revenue challenges, Cogeco’s transformation plan and strong margins support its C$82.45 fair value assessment. Analysts project a 48.5% upside, making it attractive for value and income investors, though short-term technical indicators suggest caution.

For its second quarter of 2024, Cogeco Inc. reported a 1.1% decrease in revenue to C$746.1 million and a 0.3% decline in adjusted EBITDA. The company is maintaining its fiscal 2024 financial guidelines.

4. BCE Inc (NYSE:BCE) – The Defensive Income Giant

BCE takes fourth place with its legendary 55-year dividend payout streak and current 5% yield. However, its 14.6% one-year return lags sector leaders, and its 12.8x forward P/E is less compelling than peers. Recently upgraded by major banks, BCE appeals to defensive income investors despite negative revenue growth and high leverage (299.2% debt-to-equity ratio). Technical indicators remain neutral to bullish for longer timeframes, with analysts seeing a 52% upside potential.

BCE Inc. released its first-quarter 2024 earnings, showing a 0.7% decrease in total operating revenue to C$6.01 billion and a 2.0% decline in adjusted EBITDA. The company reaffirmed its annual guidance for 2024.

5. TELUS (NYSE:TU) – The High-Yield Caution Flag

TELUS rounds out the top five with a sector-leading 8.7% dividend yield but disappoints with just a 2.1% one-year return. Trading at a relatively high 19.2x forward P/E with the lowest EBITDA margin (28.2%) among ranked peers, TELUS faces margin pressure from its digital transformation initiatives. Analysts project a more modest 25.4% upside compared to other Canadian telecoms, suggesting investors should approach with caution despite the attractive yield.

TELUS reported a 0.6% increase in first-quarter 2024 operating revenues to C$4.96 billion, with adjusted EBITDA growing by 4.7%. The company also updated its annual financial targets for 2024.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- U.S. stocks remained largely flat on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady as widely expected and Chair Jerome Powell refused to discuss anything about the Trump administration’s investigation into the central bank.

Earlier gains in the morning had seen the benchmark S&P 500 index briefly breaching the historic 7,000 points level for the first time ever. At 15:00 ET (20:00 GMT), the gauge was little changed at 6,977.52 points. It crossed the 7,000 mark immediately after the opening bell, hitting a session high at 7,002.52 points.

Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1% to 48,978.79 points. The NASDAQ Composite was up 0.3% to 23,882.81 points, with the focus now turning to upcoming quarterly results from Big Tech companies after the closing bell.

Powell silent on investigation 

The Federal Reserve kept its key policy rate unchanged, halting a series of three successive 25-basis point interest rate cuts.

More than the rate decision, traders were keen to see whether Powell would address the U.S. Department of Justice’s investigation into the renovation of a Fed building.

But the central bank chief refused to talk about it, referencing reporters to his extraordinary statement earlier this month in which he claimed that the investigation was a punishment for not setting interest rates as per President Donald Trump’s preferences.    

Powell’s term ends in May, and Trump said on Tuesday he will announce his pick for the new head of the Federal Reserve soon.

Major tech earnings to shape market direction

Earnings are another major driver this week, with four members of the so-called “Magnificent Seven” technology group set to report.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) are all due to release results after the close Wednesday, followed by Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) on Thursday.

Together, these companies carry significant weight in major indexes, and their outlooks on artificial intelligence spending, cloud demand and consumer trends are expected to shape market direction in the days ahead.

Record quarterly orders from Dutch chip equipment giant ASML Holding NV (AS:ASML) lifted chip stocks and were a shot in the arm for the AI trade. The company also said it would shed about 1,700 jobs, mostly in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, its current quarter revenue guidance comfortably beat expectations. 

Also helping the AI trade was Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN). The stock soared after the analog chipmaker’s rosy quarterly forecast showed the AI data center boom was driving demand for chips beyond Nvidia’s advanced processors.    

Seagate Technology (NASDAQ:STX) stock gained after the memory device maker reported second-quarter adjusted earnings that exceeded expectations, helped by the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence data centers.

Beyond tech, AT&T (NYSE:T) stock rose after the telecom giant forecast annual profit above market expectations, on bets that its wireless and fiber network expansion would allow the U.S. carrier to tap growing 5G and high-speed internet demand.

Swedish streaming platform Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry in 2025, marking the largest annual payment to music from a retailer in history.

Gold hits another record high

Gold prices hit a record high above $5,300 an ounce on Wednesday amid strong safe haven demand, with those gains holding after the Fed’s rate decision. 

Other precious metals also remained upbeat, with silver and platinum both remaining close to recent record highs. 

Oil prices extended their advance after the Fed, adding to their recent gains following the severe winter storm in the U.S. 

Brent futures rose 1.4% to $67.49 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 1.6% to $63.42 a barrel.

Both benchmarks surged about 3% on Tuesday, after closing at the end of last week at their highest points since January 14. 

Estimates suggest U.S. producers lost up to 2 million barrels per day, or roughly 15% of national output, as the storm disrupted energy infrastructure and power grids.

Ayushman Ojha and Peter Nurse contributed to this article

Investing.com -- Circle Internet (NYSE:CRCL) stock surged 6% on Wednesday afternoon after Reuters reported that the White House will meet with banking and cryptocurrency industry executives to discuss stalled crypto legislation.

The meeting, scheduled for Monday, will focus on resolving conflicts between the banking and crypto sectors, particularly regarding the ability of crypto companies to pay interest and rewards on stablecoin holdings. The White House’s crypto council is hosting the summit with various trade groups in attendance, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The planned meeting highlights the Trump administration’s commitment to advancing cryptocurrency legislation. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter.

Circle Internet, which issues the USDC stablecoin, also benefited from an upgrade by Mizuho earlier in the day, further boosting investor sentiment.

Meanwhile, Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) shares edged higher following the Reuters report but remained down 0.3% for the session.

Stablecoins, which are cryptocurrencies pegged to traditional currencies like the U.S. dollar, have become an increasingly important focus for regulators and lawmakers as their usage in the financial system grows.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- U.S. stocks remained largely flat on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady as widely expected. Earlier gains in the morning had seen the benchmark S&P 500 index briefly breaching the historic 7,000 points level for the first time ever. With the interest rate decision priced in, traders turn their focus to Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming press conference.    

At 14:08 ET (19:08 GMT), the S&P 500 was down 0.1% to 6,974.45 points. It crossed the 7,000 mark immediately after the opening bell, hitting a session high at 7,002.52 points.

The benchmark gauge’s 7,000 milestone was celebrated by President Donald Trump, who proclaimed "America is back!!!" on his Truth Social service.

Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had gained 0.1% to 49,031.14 points. The NASDAQ Composite was up 0.1% to 23,850.97 points.

Fed decision looms large

The Federal Reserve, keep its key policy rate unchanged, halting a series of three successive 25-basis point interest rate cuts.

Markets have priced in a pause as policymakers digest recent economic data that has pointed to easing inflation, while remaining above target, as well as steady growth and a resilient labor market.

At the same time, U.S. consumer confidence tanked in January to its lowest level in 12 years, a gauge from the Conference Board showed, underscoring the pessimism many of Americans are feeling as the risk of a partial U.S. government shutdown over a backlash to deadly shootings by immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis rises while fresh tariff threats from President Donald Trump loom in the background.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s comments will be closely watched for clues on how long rates may stay at current levels and when more cuts could eventually come.

"The main focus will therefore be on possible dissent and communication, also around the issue of the Fed’s independence," ING analysts said in a note. "The decision will also be overshadowed by President Trump’s upcoming pick of a new Fed Chair." 

Powell’s term ends in May, and Trump said on Tuesday he will announce his pick for the new head of the Federal Reserve soon.

Major tech earnings to shape market direction

Earnings are another major driver this week, with four members of the so-called “Magnificent Seven” technology group set to report.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) are all due to release results after the close Wednesday, followed by Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) on Thursday.

Together, these companies carry significant weight in major indexes, and their outlooks on artificial intelligence spending, cloud demand and consumer trends are expected to shape market direction in the days ahead.

Record quarterly orders from Dutch chip equipment giant ASML Holding NV (AS:ASML) lifted chip stocks and were a shot in the arm for the AI trade. The company also said it would shed about 1,700 jobs, mostly in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, its current quarter revenue guidance comfortably beat expectations. 

Also helping the AI trade was Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN). The stock soared after the analog chipmaker’s rosy quarterly forecast showed the AI data center boom was driving demand for chips beyond Nvidia’s advanced processors.    

Seagate Technology (NASDAQ:STX) stock gained after the memory device maker reported second-quarter adjusted earnings that exceeded expectations, helped by the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence data centers.

Beyond tech, AT&T (NYSE:T) stock rose after the telecom giant forecast annual profit above market expectations, on bets that its wireless and fiber network expansion would allow the U.S. carrier to tap growing 5G and high-speed internet demand.

Swedish streaming platform Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry in 2025, marking the largest annual payment to music from a retailer in history.

Gold hits another record high

Gold prices hit a record high above $5,300 an ounce on Wednesday as strong haven demand, underpinned by caution before the conclusion of the Fed meeting later in the day, and prolonged weakness in the dollar benefited metal markets.

Other precious metals also remained upbeat, with silver and platinum both remaining close to recent record highs. 

Oil prices edged higher, adding to the recent gains following the severe winter storm in the U.S.. 

Brent futures added 0.4% to $66.87 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 0.6% to $62.75 a barrel.

Both benchmarks surged about 3% on Tuesday, after closing at the end of last week at their highest points since January 14. 

Estimates suggest U.S. producers lost up to 2 million barrels per day, or roughly 15% of national output, as the storm disrupted energy infrastructure and power grids.

Ayushman Ojha and Peter Nurse contributed to this article