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Globe and Mail
3 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
COIN to Report Q2 Earnings: Will Higher Trading Volume Fuel Growth?
Coinbase Global COIN is set to report second-quarter 2025 results on July 31, after market close. This company beat estimates in three of the last four reported quarters and matched in one. Let's discuss the factors that are likely to be reflected in the upcoming quarterly results. Trading volume in the second quarter is likely to have improved owing to increased asset volatility and improved crypto asset prices. Crypto trading remains a major revenue driver for COIN. It has been prioritizing crypto utility by investing in infrastructure and foundational platforms. Increased market share in the U.S. spot and derivatives markets and an expanded product portfolio and international market presence are likely to have added to the upside. The company is likely to have benefited from the acquisition of Deribit, the world's leading crypto options exchange, in the quarter. This makes Coinbase the leading crypto derivative platform globally by open interest. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for total trading volume is pegged at 249 million, indicating an improvement of 10.1% from the year-ago reported number. The consensus estimate for total volume - Consumer is pegged at 46.1 million, suggesting a 25% increase from the year-ago reported number. The consensus mark for total volume - Institution is pegged at 203 million, indicating a surge of 7.4% from the year-ago reported number. Transaction revenues are likely to have benefited from higher fees for Consumer and Institutional. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for transaction revenues is pegged at $759 billion, indicating an increase of 23% from the year-ago reported figure. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for transaction revenues - Consumer is pegged at $647 million. The consensus estimate for transaction revenues - Institutional is pegged at $54 million. Revenues are likely to have benefited from market share gains in U.S. spot and derivatives trading, along with increased volumes in custody, staking and USDC assets, as well as growth in Coinbase One subscriptions. What Our Quantitative Model Predicts Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for Coinbase this time around. This is because the stock has the right combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), which increases the odds of an earnings beat. Earnings ESP: Coinbase's Earnings ESP is +12.05%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Zacks Rank: Coinbase currently has a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Other Stocks to Consider Euronet Worldwide EEFT has an Earnings ESP of +2.53% and a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $2.63 per share, indicating an increase of 16.9% from the year-ago reported figure. EEFT's earnings beat estimates in only one of the last four quarters, met in two and missed in one. Houlihan Lokey HLI has an Earnings ESP of +0.99% and carries a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.69, indicating a surge of 38.5% from the year-ago reported figure. HLI's earnings beat estimates in three of the last four quarters, while missing in one. Inter & Co. Inc. INTR has an Earnings ESP of +5.41% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at 12 cents per share, indicating an increase of 33% from the year-ago reported figure. INTR's earnings beat estimates in two of the last four quarters, met in one and missed in one. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They include Stock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and Resilience Stock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the Dip Stock #3: One of the Most Compelling Investments in the Market Stock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for Growth Stock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to Spring Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%. Download Atomic Opportunity: Nuclear Energy's Comeback free today. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Euronet Worldwide, Inc. (EEFT): Free Stock Analysis Report Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI): Free Stock Analysis Report Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN): Free Stock Analysis Report Inter & Co. Inc. (INTR): Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (
Vancouver Sun
3 minutes ago
- Vancouver Sun
Trump's Golden Dome missile-defence push on Canada leaves Ottawa with few good options
Washington, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump wants a Golden Dome of missile defence over the United States, and if you're thinking this sounds familiar, you'd be right. Back in the 1980s, Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, aka Star Wars, also aimed to develop a space-based and layered defence system to knock out any incoming strikes. It didn't work out. The space-based part proved elusive, but technology has now advanced enough to make more of it feasible, at least in theory. Trump envisions a system that includes space-based weaponry that can take out missiles — ballistic and hypersonic — and he wants Canada to help pay for building this defensive wall over North America. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State,' the president posted on social in May. Since then, the quoted price has gone up to US$71 billion. Ottawa has acknowledged that discussions with the U.S. are underway, but they're happening against a backdrop of strained U.S.-Canada relations over defence spending and a trade war. With pressure on Prime Minister Mark Carney to cool Washington's belligerence, the Golden Dome's feasibility as a technology may matter less than the symbolism of Canada's willingness to collaborate with the White House. And none of the options for Canada, whether it's spending tens of billions of dollars to buy into a risky initiative or spurning a testy and vindictive president, are painless. U.S. missile defense currently includes the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) in Alaska and California, which is designed to intercept ICBMs in space and has a 55 per cent test success rate. The Patriot system defends battlefield and critical sites against shorter-range missiles closer to their targets, and the mobile THAAD system (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) provides regional defence against various missile threats, also closer to their targets. The naval Aegis system, meanwhile, offers effective naval-based missile interception – and the Patriot, THAAD and Aegis all generally outperform GMD. Golden Dome aims to integrate all of the above — the ground and sea-based technologies — while adding a new space-based layer of satellites equipped with sensors and interceptors to detect incoming threats and take them out at various stages of their trajectories. This would improve U.S. missile defence beyond just dealing with potential ballistic missiles coming from rogue nations such as North Korea or Iran, said Patrycja Bazylczyk, a research associate with the Missile Defense Project at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies CSIS. 'Now we're thinking about our great power competitors, such as Russia and China, and they don't have just ballistic (missiles),' she says. 'They have hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles, etc., a whole host of different weapons that have unique trajectories and characteristics that create challenges for sensing and interception.' While much of the technology for the sea- and land-based systems is sound, some of the space-based components remain theoretical. Space-based interceptors or lasers have improved through proliferation and become more resilient, said Michael O'Hanlon, director of foreign policy research at the Brookings Institution think tank. But 'the space-based weapons have not gotten much better … and are nowhere near a really practical deployment.' 'It's very difficult to shoot down intercontinental ballistic missiles,' said Benjamin Giltner, a researcher at the think tank CATO Institute's Defense and Foreign Policy Department. He explains that the warheads are travelling at speeds north of 1,900 mph during the terminal phase, when they've detached from the missile and reentered the atmosphere. On top of that, the system would have to deal with multiple warheads at once, decoys, and efforts by the enemy to jam its frequencies. It's essentially trying to use a bullet to hit a bullet — amid a maelstrom of chaos. Managing a battlefield with data inputs in a rapidly changing environment, potentially with thousands of objects in the sky, also requires a lot of computing power. 'That would be a piece where artificial intelligence is now making certain things more possible than before,' O'Hanlon said. Bids are being prepared now by several defence contractors, and costs could go sky high. The Trump administration has estimated a cost of US$175 billion, but the Congressional Budget Office says it could cost between US$161 billion and as much as US$542 billion over the next two decades for the whole system. Much of that will depend on the depth of system and the space-based weaponry. Giltner said he's seen 'estimates of (needing) up to tens of thousands of missile defence systems to have a chance at defending most U.S. territory.' It will also depend upon retaining the support of subsequent White House administrations from either party. Beyond cost and efficacy, building a shield over North America is likely to upset the enemy. The secured second-strike capability of nuclear nations — meaning a country can hit back hard even after it's been hit by a nuclear attack — 'has so far proven to be the most stable and best form of nuclear deterrent we have,' said Giltner. A missile defence system like Golden Dome would upend that, creating a more 'vulnerable strategic environment' and 'invite an arms race,' he added. Bazylczyk sees that another way. 'If we look at Chinese and Russian investment in hypersonic and cruise missiles, I think that not having defences to adequately intercept those next-generation threats is kind of concerning for deterrence.' 'If they don't believe that we are able to counter those threats, then they'll be more emboldened to embark on escalatory actions.' Robert Peters, senior research fellow for strategic deterrence at the Heritage Foundation's Allison Center for National Security, agrees. He says he's 'increasingly concerned' that U.S. adversaries 'could pursue a low escalation pathway attack or limited coercive attack … because they keep building systems that could execute such an attack.' He means that China and Russia keep discussing development of systems for limited escalation scenarios in which they might launch an attack with just one or a couple of advanced or nuclear missiles, to hit the U.S. without triggering an all-out nuclear war. So, for Giltner and many other critics, Golden Dome is likely to start a new arms race. Others, like Peters, say that a race is already underway, and that Golden Dome, 'at a minimum, gives us a fighting chance to give the adversaries pause before they decide to go down a limited coercive pathway attack.' In short, both sides are toying with developments that could undermine the nuclear Mutual Assured Destruction doctrine that prevents nuclear powers from pressing the button on a nuclear war. Today, Canada helps support GMD and NORAD operations by hosting sensors for early warning and tracking of missiles, and Trump has suggested that Canada join Golden Dome, a project he very optimistically says will take three years, with an entry price of US$71 billion. That's well over this year's Canadian defence budget of approximately $62.7 billion, but it's unclear how long Ottawa would have to pay the ticket price. Washington and Ottawa have been involved in volatile trade talks in recent weeks, with Trump stating on Friday that there is no deal likely with Canada and that more tariffs are likely coming on Aug. 1. So how is Carney likely to respond to the Golden Dome invite? Giltner doesn't see how participating in Golden Dome would strategically benefit Canada, because, in addition to the high cost, it would mean being party to a 'more fraught strategic environment.' But Peters said it is in Canada's national interest because inbound threats would likely fly over Canadian territory and may not only be directed at the U.S. He believes most Canadians would feel better knowing a defence system could thwart any such attack. O'Hanlon, however, sees the need for a balancing act. 'It would make sense to be involved in this enough that we can do joint planning and that Canada would get some enhanced consideration as we think about options for protection,' he said. At the same time, the high cost, given Canada's military budget, means Ottawa 'wouldn't want to get so caught up in this that (they) missed out on the opportunities to improve (their) ground forces.' Canada, he says, should aim to be 'a substantial partner in this within reason.' National Post tmoran@ Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Globe and Mail
3 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Qualigen Therapeutics Announces $4.5 Million Private Placement of Series A-3 Convertible Preferred Stock
Carlsbad, CA, July 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:QLGN) ("Qualigen" or the "Company"), a life sciences company focused on developing platform treatments for adult and pediatric cancers with the potential for orphan drug designations, today announced that it has entered into definitive securities purchase agreements with several institutional and accredited investors for the sale of its Series A-3 Preferred Stock. The private placement closed on July 28, 2025. The Company issued and sold an aggregate of 4,500 shares of Series A-3 Preferred Stock, with a stated value of $1,000 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $4.5 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses. The Series A-3 Preferred Stock is initially convertible into an aggregate of 1,607,143 shares of common stock of the Company at a conversion price of $2.80 per share, subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the Series A-3 Preferred Stock Certificate of Designation. Univest, LLC acted as the exclusive placement agent for the offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Series A-3 Preferred Stock for working capital purposes. The shares of Series A-3 Preferred Stock were offered and issued in a private placement under Section 4(a)(2) and/or Rule 506(b) of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933 and have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the shares of Series A-3 Preferred Stock and the underlying shares of common stock may not be offered or sold in the United States unless registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. The Company has agreed to file a registration statement with the SEC covering the resale of the shares of common stock underlying the Series A-3 Preferred Stock within 45 days after the closing date. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: QLGN) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. The Company's pipeline includes QN-302, a selective G-quadruplex inhibitor targeting various tumor types including pancreatic cancer; QN-247, a nucleolin-targeting compound for hematologic malignancies; and a family of small-molecule RAS oncogene protein-protein interaction inhibitors. Each of these programs is designed to address areas of high unmet medical need, with the potential for orphan drug designation. Qualigen is committed to advancing its therapeutic pipeline to improve patient outcomes and create long-term value for shareholders. For more information about Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc., please visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, assumptions, and projections about future events and involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements the filing of a resale registration statement, and the Company's future business plans and strategies. Words such as 'anticipates,' 'expects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'believes,' 'seeks,' 'estimates,' 'may,' 'will,' 'could,' 'would,' 'should,' 'continues,' and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to a number of factors, including risks related to the Company's ability to successfully develop and commercialize its product candidates, regulatory developments, market conditions, the Company's ability to maintain compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements, and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
