A 99% buyout premium and $20B backing. A comeback stock no one saw coming. See what investors are excited about today.

Next AI Boom (Sponsored)
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A cloud provider set to expand under new policy changes
A data firm with potential government contracts on deck
The early window on these opportunities may be closing — now’s the time to see what’s coming next.

Markets
Wall Street was mixed but mostly bullish today as investors looked ahead to key earnings from major tech firms like Tesla and Alphabet, fueling optimism despite ongoing trade tensions.
DJIA [-0.04%]
S&P 500 [+0.14%]
Nasdaq [+0.38%]
Russell 2k [-0.36%]

Market-Moving News
Capital Markets
New $1.5B Bond Sale Cements CoreWeave's Expansion Game Plan

CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) is entering expansion mode with a fresh $1.5 billion bond sale, aimed at fueling its AI infrastructure ambitions and paying down existing debt.
This latest move follows a $2 billion debt offering in May and builds on last week's $6 billion data center announcement in Pennsylvania.
The company's appetite for scale isn't slowing, and neither is investor interest.
With major clients such as Nvidia and Microsoft, CoreWeave is positioning itself as a key enabler in the high-performance computing space that underpins modern AI workloads.
While some may raise eyebrows over the rapid pace of financing, the market response suggests confidence in both execution and demand signals.
For long-term shareholders, this capital raise signals a deepening commitment to build out infrastructure that delivers real throughput.
CoreWeave isn't just spending, it's allocating strategically into revenue-generating capacity.
The bond sale strengthens its balance sheet and pushes back any near-term funding cliff, giving it breathing room to convert contracts into cash flow.
Those evaluating a position in CoreWeave should weigh its aggressive scaling against the backdrop of intensifying AI demand.
The company is betting that debt-funded infrastructure can capture market share more quickly than its peers, and early signs suggest it may be right.
If execution holds, CoreWeave could emerge as one of the few cloud-native providers with the depth and elasticity to match hyperscaler needs.

Exit the Chaos (Sponsored)
Markets don’t wait for calm—especially when political chaos takes center stage.
With Trump and Musk locked in a growing public feud, the fear of market volatility is very real.
While the headlines escalate, institutions are quietly stockpiling gold to shield against the blowback.
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Airlines
Southwest Ends Open Seating as It Eyes Higher Margins

Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) is formally ending its decades-old open seating model.
Starting January 27, all passengers will board by assigned seat, with tickets for this new format going on sale July 29.
The move marks a major departure from the airline’s hallmark policy and comes amid a larger shift in how Southwest monetizes its offerings.
The new structure features eight boarding groups and reserved seating tiers, categorized by fare class, loyalty status, and seat type.
Upgrades, such as extra legroom and priority seating, are being phased in across a reconfigured fleet.
Southwest is also introducing more restrictive fares and charging fees for checked bags in some cases, further aligning with legacy rivals.
For long-term shareholders, this is a notable pivot. Southwest built its brand on simplicity, rapid turnaround, and customer-friendly policies, such as free checked bags.
But with rivals posting stronger margins, Southwest is now layering in optional upgrades, reconfiguring aircraft, and narrowing its pricing tiers.
That change may help close the profitability gap, even as it risks alienating longtime loyalists.
Those evaluating a position in Southwest may see the shift as a test of revenue diversification.
Assigned seating, bag fees, and premium fare segmentation aim to lift per-passenger yield without slowing boarding or undermining the brand.
The challenge is managing the transition while maintaining customer satisfaction in a more complex booking environment.
The update signals a break from tradition in favor of financial discipline.
Southwest is not just tweaking operations; it is actively repositioning to compete on both margin and loyalty.

Gold Reclassified (Sponsored)
A quiet rule change just gave big banks the green light to treat one physical asset like cold, hard cash.
It’s not stocks. And it’s definitely not dollars.
One economist even called it “the only money banks trust.”
Meanwhile, most Americans are still stuck in risky paper assets.
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Our FREE Wealth Protection Guide breaks it all down.

High-Growth
While Bitcoin Grabs Headlines, These Three Stocks Are Quietly Positioning for Explosive Upside

Bitcoin has reached new all-time highs, reigniting global interest in digital assets.
However, while crypto headlines focus on coins and ETFs, long-term gains may come from other sources.
Three Bitcoin mining firms, Cleanspark, Riot Platforms, and Marathon Digital, are seeing growing attention from institutions and analysts alike.
Each company offers leveraged exposure to Bitcoin's upside, not through speculation, but by operating the infrastructure that enables it.
Fixed costs, expanding capacity, and improving efficiency mean that when Bitcoin runs, miners often outperform it.
Cleanspark (NASDAQ: CLSK), Lagging Price but Leading Potential
Among the three, Cleanspark stands out as the most discounted. Shares are trading well below their 52-week highs, despite Bitcoin's continued rise.
That pricing gap suggests room for a catch-up move, especially as fundamentals remain strong.
Cleanspark benefits from scale, operational efficiency, and increasing investor interest.
Vanguard boosted its position in CLSK by nearly 23 percent last quarter, bringing its total stake to $162 million.
That buying wasn't speculative. It was a calculated move to front-run improving earnings metrics.
Analysts have taken notice. Nine firms now rate the stock a Buy, with an average price target of $20.38 and a high forecast of $27.
That implies upside potential of more than 60 percent from current levels.
As Bitcoin's higher price begins to flow through to reported earnings, Cleanspark may close the valuation gap in a hurry.
Riot Platforms (NASDAQ: RIOT), Waiting for the Numbers to Catch Up
Riot is smaller in market cap and less widely followed, but it carries similar upside mechanics.
Shares currently trade around $14, with a consensus price target of $17.35 and a high forecast of $21.
Analysts still expect losses in the near term, but projections have not been updated since Bitcoin was trading under $90,000.
This sets up the possibility of positive earnings surprises in the second half of 2025.
Riot's fixed-cost mining structure means that rising Bitcoin prices can significantly narrow losses or push the company back to profitability sooner than expected.
For investors looking for asymmetric reward tied to macro crypto strength, Riot presents a quiet, high-leverage option.
Marathon Digital (NASDAQ: MARA), Already in Motion With Institutional Muscle
The marathon is the most visible and institutionally held of the three.
The company's nearly $5 billion market capitalization has made it a magnet for funds seeking indirect exposure to Bitcoin through an operating business.
Vanguard holds a position worth $457 million, owning over 11 percent of the company.
Unlike Riot or CleanSpark, Marathon is already trading near its year-to-date highs, reflecting its stronger near-term momentum and broader Wall Street coverage.
Analysts currently have a "Hold" consensus on MARA, with an average target price of $21.28.
That's only modest upside from current levels, but the institutional positioning signals long-term confidence in the model and continued strength if Bitcoin holds above $100,000.
The Miners May Be the Real Bitcoin Trade
Buying Bitcoin has captured public attention. But companies like Cleanspark, Riot, and Marathon are quietly capturing investor dollars.
Their earnings leverage, operational efficiency, and institutional backing all suggest that something larger is taking shape.
Bitcoin has already moved. These stocks may be next in line.

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Top Winners and Losers
ZimVie Inc [ZIMV] $18.76 (+122.27%)
ZimVie, a dental implant maker, more than doubled after agreeing to be acquired by ARCHIMED for $19 per share in cash, representing a 99% premium to its 90-day average.
Stem Inc [STEM] $16.78 (+24.30%)
Stem rose following recent restructuring, strong margin growth, and optimism around its PowerTrack platform and leadership change.
Navitas Semiconductor Corp [NVTS] $8.47 (+24.74%)
Navitas jumped after setting an earnings date and riding bullish sentiment from a Texas Instruments upgrade, suggesting sector recovery.

Aether Holdings Inc [ATHR] $10.21 (-21.82%)
Aether Holdings fell as investors reacted negatively to its plan to sell new stock to buy Bitcoin, triggering worries about dilution and risk exposure.
Barnes & Noble Education Inc [BNED] $8.86 (-21.06%)
Barnes & Noble Education stock dropped after the company delayed its 10-K filing and revealed a potential $23M overstatement tied to internal control failures.
Red Cat Holdings Inc [RCAT] $9.41 (-16.46%)
Red Cat Holdings declined as class action deadlines approached, resurfacing concerns about the company’s alleged misleading claims regarding military deals and drone production.

Unseen Trends (Sponsored)
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Everything Else
Kraft Heinz is trying to breathe new life into legacy brands by unwinding parts of its 2015 mega-merger.
Figma is preparing to go public in a deal that could value the design software firm at $16 billion.
The Nasdaq and S&P notched fresh records as megacap stocks climbed ahead of a pivotal tech earnings stretch.
A Microsoft server breach has affected approximately 100 organizations, raising new concerns about cloud security.
Coinbase has rolled out perpetual futures trading for U.S. users, expanding its offerings in a tightly regulated market.

That's it for today! Please, write us back, and let us know what you think of the Closing Bell Roundup. We're always eager to hear feedback!
Thanks for reading. I'll see you at the next open!
Best Regards,
— Adam G.
Elite Trade Club
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