Core Viewpoint - Imerys has decided to freeze its lithium production project in the UK to concentrate on a more advanced lithium venture in France, indicating a strategic shift in its operational focus [1]. Company Summary - The UK lithium project in Cornwall aimed to produce over 20,000 metric tons annually of lithium carbonate, potentially meeting the lithium demand for around 500,000 electric vehicles [1]. - The project is now placed on care and maintenance, with active development suspended due to the challenges of managing two large-scale projects simultaneously in different countries [1]. - Imerys has received a commitment from the French state to invest 50 million euros (approximately $59 million) for a minority stake in the Emili project in central France, which targets an output of 34,000 tons of lithium hydroxide per year starting in 2030 [1]. - The CEO of Imerys, Alessandro Dazza, acknowledged the strategic value of the UK project, despite the decision to pause its development, following the completion of a scoping study [1].

Chinese electric vehicle brand Zeekr will enter the Italian market starting from Thursday, the company said in a press release, the latest in a string of announced European launches. ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales for 2025 were $3,768 million, a decrease of $98 million or 3% year-over-year, with customer production down 1% and pricing representing a 4% headwind [29][30] - Adjusted EBITDA reached a record $492 million, or 13.1% of sales, marking the highest level in the company's history [4] - Adjusted free cash flow for the year was $292 million, reflecting strong underlying earnings [32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Displays were a standout product line, with sales growing approximately 20% year-over-year, driven by strong customer demand for larger and advanced displays [3] - Battery management systems (BMS) faced headwinds due to softer EV demand in the U.S. and impacted overall growth by about 7 percentage points [3] - Nearly 50% of new business wins in 2025 were for displays, surpassing previous records and positioning the product for sustainable revenue growth [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Americas, sales were impacted by lower customer vehicle production and a significant drop in EV production at GM and Stellantis, resulting in an 8% headwind to sales [11] - Europe showed strong performance with an 11% growth over market, driven by new product launches with Audi, Ford, and Renault [12] - Sales in China declined year-over-year due to market share losses among global OEMs, but there was sequential sales growth in Q4 supported by new product launches [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is diversifying its customer base by expanding its presence with specification automakers, securing $500 million of new business with Toyota [5] - Strategic initiatives include increasing vertical integration in manufacturing to simplify the supply chain and capture incremental value [7] - The focus remains on investing in technology development and aligning closely with market trends, particularly in software-defined vehicles and AI [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expects sales for 2026 to be in the range of $3.65 billion to $3.85 billion, with headwinds from lower BMS volume and discontinued Ford vehicle models [20][21] - Despite anticipated challenges, management is optimistic about new product launches and strategic initiatives contributing to growth in 2026 and beyond [22][23] - The company is addressing supply chain challenges, particularly in memory chips, and is working closely with suppliers to mitigate gaps [24] Other Important Information - The company returned capital to shareholders through $50 million in share repurchases and $7 million in dividends [28] - S&P upgraded the company to BA1, reflecting expanded margins and strong free cash flow generation [34] - The company plans to increase its quarterly dividend by 36% to $0.375 per share, reflecting confidence in cash flow durability [42] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on DRAM exposure and its impact on guidance? - Management indicated that memory chips are used in virtually all products, with an anticipated increase in memory costs representing about 2% of sales [48][52] Question: What is the revenue weighting for the first half versus the second half of 2026? - Management expects the second half of 2026 to be slightly better than the first half due to backloaded product launches, particularly with Toyota [55][56] Question: Can you provide details on the M&A pipeline? - The company is looking at small, bolt-on acquisitions that enhance technology capabilities and are margin accretive from day one [71][74]

So, Whimo is rolling out its newest driverless system and it's putting it in vehicles made by a Chinese company first. The robo taxi is called the Ohigh. It's built by Ziker, a subsidiary of a Chinese automaker and that's drawing fire from GOP lawmakers.Last week during a committee hearing here in DC, Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno cited prior testimony about Whimo being locked in a race with China and then told the company, "It seems like you're getting in bed with China." Whimo's defense, the Chinese manufact ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record revenues of $12.3 billion and non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of $3.50 for fiscal Q1 2026, with non-GAAP EPS at the high end of guidance [6][16] - QCT revenues reached a record $10.6 billion, driven by strong performance in automotive and IoT segments [6][16] - Licensing business revenues were $1.6 billion, with an EBT margin of 77%, reflecting higher units and favorable mix [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - QCT handset revenues reached a record $7.8 billion, benefiting from recently launched flagship smartphones [16] - QCT IoT revenues grew 9% year-over-year to $1.7 billion, driven by demand across consumer and networking products [16] - QCT Automotive revenues grew to $1.1 billion, up 15% year-over-year, driven by increased demand for Snapdragon Digital Chassis platforms [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Global consumer demand for handsets, particularly in the premium and high-tier segments, exceeded expectations, with healthy sell-through observed [6][7] - The handset industry is expected to face constraints due to memory availability and pricing, particularly DRAM, as suppliers redirect capacity to meet AI data center demand [7][18] - The company anticipates that the overall size of the handset market will be defined by memory availability throughout the fiscal year [39][69] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its presence in the premium and high-tier smartphone segments, with a dual flagship product strategy that has been well received [8][42] - The company is investing in AI-native smartphones and intelligent wearables, positioning Snapdragon platforms as the choice for the industry [8][12] - The company aims to strengthen its leadership in automotive and robotics, with multiple design wins and collaborations with major automakers [10][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the fundamentals of the handset business despite near-term challenges related to memory supply [18][39] - The company expects to return to prior growth trajectories for QCT handset revenues once memory supply conditions normalize [18] - Management remains optimistic about the long-term growth potential in automotive and IoT, with combined growth expected to outpace long-term revenue targets [21][22] Other Important Information - The company returned $3.6 billion to stockholders, including $2.6 billion in stock repurchases and $949 million in dividends [17] - The company completed the acquisition of Alphawave Semi, enhancing its data center solutions [14] Q&A Session Summary Question: What factors are driving the weakness in handset outlook beyond memory pricing? - Management indicated that the weakness is entirely related to memory availability, with strong microeconomic indicators and handset demand observed [26][27] Question: Is the automotive revenue growth driven by ADAS wins? - Management confirmed that the automotive pipeline continues to translate into revenue, with new car launches contributing to record revenues [30] Question: How is the company progressing with data center customers? - Management reported positive progress with customers, including shipping to Humane and engagement with major hyperscalers [34] Question: What is the company's strategy regarding memory shortages? - Management clarified that they do not purchase memory directly but work with customers who do, ensuring flexibility in memory sourcing [67][69] Question: How does the company plan to navigate the memory allocation challenges with larger OEMs? - Management acknowledged that larger OEMs may have better access to memory but emphasized that the issue is industry-wide and not limited to specific customers [73]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record revenues of $12.3 billion and non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of $3.50 for fiscal Q1 2026, with non-GAAP EPS at the high end of guidance [5][17] - QCT revenues reached a record $10.6 billion, with strong year-over-year growth across automotive and IoT segments [17] - Licensing business revenues were $1.6 billion, with an EBT margin of 77%, driven by higher units and favorable mix [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - QCT handset revenues reached a record $7.8 billion, benefiting from recently launched flagship smartphones [17] - QCT IoT revenues grew 9% year-over-year to $1.7 billion, driven by demand across consumer and networking products [17] - QCT Automotive revenues grew to $1.1 billion, up 15% year-over-year, reflecting increased demand for Snapdragon Digital Chassis platforms [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Global consumer demand for handsets, particularly in the premium and high-tier segments, exceeded expectations, with healthy sell-through observed [5] - The handset industry is expected to face constraints due to memory availability and pricing, particularly DRAM, as suppliers redirect capacity to meet AI data center demand [5][6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its presence in the premium and high-tier smartphone segments, with a dual flagship product strategy that has seen broad OEM adoption [6][7] - The company is also investing in AI-native smartphones and intelligent wearables, positioning Snapdragon platforms as the choice for the industry [7][8] - In automotive, the company aims to reinforce its technology leadership with multiple design wins and collaborations with major automakers [10][11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the fundamentals of the handset business despite near-term challenges related to memory supply and pricing [19] - The company anticipates returning to prior growth trajectories for QCT handset revenues once memory supply normalizes [19] - Management remains optimistic about the long-term growth potential in automotive and IoT, with expectations for continued revenue acceleration [21] Other Important Information - The company completed the acquisition of Alphawave Semi, enhancing its high-speed wire connectivity technologies [15] - The company is actively engaging with leading hyperscalers and cloud service providers to develop data center solutions [14] Q&A Session Summary Question: What factors are driving the weakness in handset outlook beyond memory pricing? - Management indicated that the weakness is entirely related to memory availability, with strong microeconomic indicators and handset demand observed [26][27] Question: Is the automotive revenue growth driven by ADAS wins? - Management confirmed that the automotive pipeline continues to translate into revenue, with new car launches contributing to record revenues [29][30] Question: How is the company managing the memory supply situation? - Management clarified that they do not purchase memory directly but work closely with customers who do, ensuring flexibility with various memory providers [69][70] Question: What is the outlook for the data center business? - Management stated that progress is on track, with positive feedback from engagements with hyperscalers and cloud service providers [35][36] Question: How does the company view the impact of memory shortages on the overall handset market? - Management emphasized that the size of the handset market will be determined by memory availability, with expectations for premium and high-tier segments to remain resilient [40][76]

Investor Gary Black of The Future Fund LLC thinks that Alphabet Inc.-backed (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) Waymo's crash incident could also be a major setback for Tesla Inc.'s (NASDAQ:TSLA) autonomous driving efforts amid NHTSA scrutiny.‘Regulators Hit Pause Button,' Says Gary BlackIn a post on the social media platform X on Thursday, the investor cautioned the Tesla faithful against not rooting for Waymo to progress. "This should be obvious but don't root against Waymo on safety issues," Black said.He outli ...

An Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) autonomous cab service, Waymo's "Ojai" Robotaxi, built in collaboration with Chinese automaker Zeekr, crashed into multiple vehicles in Los Angeles' Echo Park area.Ojai Robotaxi Was Driven By A HumanSurveillance camera footage has emerged of the incident on Tuesday, which took place on Sunday, around the Dodger Stadium area in the city. The video shows a Waymo veering off the road onto a grassy patch, before it came back on the street and crashed into multiple p ...

Company Overview - Vay is a Berlin-based rental startup that focuses on tele-operated rentals, positioning itself as a more affordable alternative to traditional ridesharing services like Uber, claiming to offer rides that are 50% cheaper than Uber's prices [1][2]. Business Model - Vay operates in Las Vegas with a fleet of over 100 Kia Niro EVs, which are limited to speeds under 25 mph and equipped with four cameras but no additional sensors. The vehicles are controlled by teleoperators who must complete over 1,000 kilometers of remote driving experience before certification [3]. - The company has raised over $200 million in funding, including a significant $60 million investment from Grab Holdings. Vay has completed over 35,000 trips and offers a service where remote drivers deliver rental cars to customers and can park them for a fee of $0.35 per minute, reducing to $0.05 per minute when parked [4]. Future Plans - Vay's current strategy does not include plans for a Robotaxi service similar to those being developed by competitors like Waymo, as confirmed by CEO Thomas von der Ohe [5]. Industry Context - The Robotaxi market is becoming increasingly competitive, with Waymo leading the charge and seeking to raise over $10 billion at a valuation of $100 billion. Waymo has also introduced a new minivan-style Robotaxi in collaboration with Chinese automaker Zeekr [6]. - Analysts suggest that Tesla's Robotaxi service may be more capital-efficient compared to Waymo's, highlighting Tesla's fleet advantages over both Waymo and traditional ridesharing companies like Uber [7].

Core Insights - Waymo has unveiled its updated Robotaxi, named Ojai, developed in collaboration with Zeekr, a Chinese automaker, following a partnership established in 2021 [1][2] Group 1: Product Details - The Ojai Robotaxi minivan was revealed at CES 2026, featuring advanced technology integrated at Waymo's Arizona facility, with testing currently taking place in major cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Las Vegas [2] - The vehicle is equipped with over 13 cameras, 6 radar sensors, and 4 LiDAR sensors, along with heaters, wipers, and sprayers to maintain sensor cleanliness [3][7] Group 2: Expansion Plans - Waymo is planning to expand its services internationally, specifically targeting the London market, and is collaborating with local fleet operations partner Moove to seek regulatory approvals for operating Robotaxis in London [3] - The company completed over 14 million paid robotaxi rides in the U.S. last year, maintaining a leading position in the Robotaxi sector [4] Group 3: Financial Aspects - Waymo is reportedly seeking to raise more than $10 billion in funding, aiming for a valuation exceeding $100 billion [4]