Apple downsizes

Investors plowed money into the server company, which finished the day up 8%. While powerful chips from Nvidia are the engine behind much of the AI boom, those chips are components in high-performance servers running AI systems, servers which are often produced by Super Micro.

Presented by Hey Snackers, KFC is taking the K out of KFC, as the fast-food chain plans to move its headquarters from Kentucky to Plano, Texas. There are more KFCs per person in Kentucky than any other state, with ~25 KFC restaurants per million Kentuckians. See where your state ranks on KFCs per capita. The S&P 500 notched back-to-back record closes for the first time in 2025 as investors overlooked tariff threats. Healthcare was the best-performing sector, while materials were at the bottom of the leaderboard. SERVING Super Micro back in the spotlight Investors plowed money into the server company, which finished the day up 8%. While powerful chips from Nvidia are the engine behind much of the AI boom, those chips are components in high-performance servers running AI systems, servers which are often produced by Super Micro.  That said, the company has had a bit of a tough time lately, taking a beating after continuing to be late in filing crucial SEC paperwork and becoming the target of withering analysis from short seller Hindenburg Research. The bull run on the stock seems to signal that investors see those troubles as firmly in the rearview for Super Micro. What's up? Investors appear to think the accounting issues aren't going to be an existential issue, and most importantly, Super Micro will remain on the Nasdaq.  The stock's cheap, if you can look past those issues, as its $33 billion market cap is half of what it was at its peak last March.  Perhaps most importantly, Nvidia is a key customer and intends to remain one, and that halo effect seems to be lifting them both higher. THE TAKEAWAY Ordinarily, the two highest volume stocks of any given morning are Nvidia and Tesla, but yesterday Super Micro gave the market a run for its money as more and more investors tried to get in on a company that, in its best bull case, is a key sidekick to the superheroics of Nvidia.  Read more Presented by Nasdaq Access innovation on your terms With exposure ranging from the top tech companies making the latest breakthroughs in AI to the most trusted global consumer brands, the Nasdaq-100 Index® (NDX®) provides investors with targeted exposure to high-growth, innovation-driven companies including the Magnificent Seven: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla. But what sets NDX apart is the diverse roster of investment products that investors can use to access the index. From classic ETFs to options and futures products, there's a Nasdaq-100® strategy to meet the needs of just about any portfolio. Click here to learn about all the ways you can invest in the innovation of the Nasdaq-100. Presented by Nasdaq Access innovation on your terms With exposure ranging from the top tech companies making the latest breakthroughs in AI to the most trusted global consumer brands, the Nasdaq-100 Index® (NDX®) provides investors with targeted exposure to high-growth, innovation-driven companies including the Magnificent Seven: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla. But what sets NDX apart is the diverse roster of investment products that investors can use to access the index. From classic ETFs to options and futures products, there's a Nasdaq-100® strategy to meet the needs of just about any portfolio. Click here to learn about all the ways you can invest in the innovation of the Nasdaq-100. NEW PHONE, WHO DIS? For sale, cheap phone, blue texts Yesterday, Apple revealed the newest addition to its iPhone lineup: the iPhone 16e. Its aim is to be a cheaper phone (it'll retail at $599) that still manages to have Apple's AI features found in smartphones like the iPhone 16, which goes for $799. That's still not quite as cheap as Apple's most recent budget option — the iPhone SE, which started at $429 — but since that's been discontinued, the 16e will be the cheapest game in town if you simply cannot abide green text bubbles.  That price point has attracted some scrutiny: a Bank of America analyst observed that Apple would have to raise prices if it does get hit with increasingly likely tariffs, so there may be a bit of cushion priced in. Either way, a cheaper phone is really what Apple needs right now, given a mediocre holiday quarter where the iPhone 16 failed to drive upgrades. THE TAKEAWAY Apple has been ceding ground to competitors, down to 23.2% global market share. If it wants to compete, it's got to take some chances, and based on Wall Street's reaction, this is very in line with expectations for how the phone maker ought to move. Read more THE BEST THING WE READ TODAY Nintendo needs the Switch 2 to hit the top of the flagpole Original Switch sales are lagging, but Nintendo's stock is surging in anticipation of its sequel. We lay out the Switch 2's possible strengths and struggles. Read more. OFF THE CHARTS What is America's least-delayed airline? Check your answer. Presented by Mode Mobile Apple Update Could Spark Hidden Earning Opportunity Apple's latest iOS update supports the T-Mobile network's Starlink satellite coverage, but it's Mode Mobile that's gearing up for global expansion. Their EarnPhone already reaches 45M+ users — and that's before global satellite coverage. With SpaceX eliminating "dead zones", Mode's technology has the potential to reach a larger audience.  Under $1M left before they reach their $20M February goal — secure your shares in their pre-IPO1 offering.2 Presented by Mode Mobile Apple Update Could Spark Hidden Earning Opportunity Apple's latest iOS update supports the T-Mobile network's Starlink satellite coverage, but it's Mode Mobile that's gearing up for global expansion. Their EarnPhone already reaches 45M+ users — and that's before global satellite coverage. With SpaceX eliminating "dead zones", Mode's technology has the potential to reach a larger audience.  Under $1M left before they reach their $20M February goal — secure your shares in their pre-IPO1 offering.2 MOVES Yesterday's Big Daily Movers Nikola, once worth more than Ford, cratered after filing for bankruptcy. Wingstop slid as chicken prices came home to roost. Bumble dropped after earnings and guidance missed Wall Street's expectations. What else we're Snackin' Microsoft calls its quantum chip that uses a new state of matter a "breakthrough," a "pivotal moment," and a "transformative leap toward practical quantum computing." But investors didn't care that much Hims & Hers rose 18% after acquiring Trybe Labs, through which it plans to provide at-home blood testing Bye, SPY: VOO is now the world's largest ETF Snack Fact of the Day Nearly 73,000 homes were taken off the market in December — a 64% increase year on year — after failing to find a buyer. Thursday US leading economic indicators Earnings expected from Shake Shack, Wayfair, Rivian, Alibaba, Live Nation, and Walmart Advertiser's disclosures: Nasdaq®, Nasdaq-100 Index®, Nasdaq-100®, and NDX® are trademarks of Nasdaq, Inc. The information contained above is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and nothing contained herein should be construed as investment advice, either on behalf of a particular security or an overall investment strategy. 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