Why Cloudflare wants AI companies to pay for content
Today on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec and Max Zeff dig into Cloudflare's big swing, why it's a natural next step after a year of laying groundwork for bot-blocking tools, and whether the plan to sit at the center of a pay-for-content protocol is genius…or just wishful thinking.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
How ICEBlock, an app for anonymously reporting ICE sightings, went viral thanks to backlash from former prosecutor Pam Bondi. ICEBlock is now one of the most-downloaded free iPhone apps in the U.S.
Why Figma's S-1 filing could set the stage for a blockbuster IPO, and what its 48% revenue growth says about demand for design tools
What Grammarly's acquisition of Superhuman signals about its vision for the 'agentic future' of productivity
Tesla co-founder JB Straubel's new venture and how it might just challenge Tesla's own storage business
Equity will be back next week, and for those of you in the U.S., enjoy the long holiday weekend!
Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.
Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Southern Company's Georgia Power Freezes Base Rates Through 2028
The Southern Company's SO subsidiary, Georgia Power, recently announced the approval of the stable and predictable base rates by the Georgia Public Service Commission ('PSC') through the end of 2028. The decision stems from a stipulated agreement between Georgia Power and the PSC's Public Interest Advocacy Staff and extends an alternate rate plan initially approved in 2022. Georgia's economy is booming, spurring a significant increase in electricity demand. To meet this rising need while keeping energy costs affordable, Georgia Power has collaborated closely with state and local officials, business leaders and community stakeholders. This collaboration has resulted in proactive regulatory measures, including the 2023 Integrated Resource Plan Update and revised rules to better manage the load impacts from large-scale energy users. These steps are designed to balance reliability, resiliency and fairness across Georgia Power's 2.8 million customer base. While base rates are set to remain unchanged, costs related to storm recovery, such as those from Hurricane Helene, will be handled in a separate regulatory proceeding expected in the first half of 2026. This ensures that storm-related expenses are managed transparently, without impacting the stability of base rates for customers. The rate freeze follows five rate increases since 2023 that have pushed the average customer's monthly bill up by $43, a rise of more than 20%. With energy prices surging across the United States, Georgia PSC encouraged the staff and Georgia Power to reach an agreement to hold base rates steady, marking a clear win for ratepayers. The CEO of the company emphasized the importance of maintaining reliable and affordable energy, citing the rate freeze as a testament to the state's robust and cooperative regulatory framework. He further reflected upon the mutual benefits of economic growth and customer affordability, stating that affordable rates among customers will help ensure economic growth in the state of Georgia. The Southern Company deals with the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity and serves approximately nine million customers through its seven electric and natural gas distribution units. Currently, SO has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Investors interested in the utility sector might look at some better-ranked stocks like National Grid plc NGG, Engie SA ENGIY and CenterPoint Energy, Inc. CNP. While National Grid and Engie currently sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each, CenterPoint Energy carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. National Grid is an international energy delivery business whose principal activities are in the regulated electricity and gas industries. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NGG's 2025 earnings indicates 42.02% year-over-year growth. Engieengages in the power, natural gas and energy services businesses. It operates through Renewables, Networks, Energy Solutions, FlexGen, Retail, Nuclear and Others segments. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ENGIY's 2025 earnings indicates 24.58% year-over-year growth. Houston, TX-based CenterPoint Energy is a domestic energy delivery company that provides electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CNP's 2025 earnings indicates 8.02% year-over-year growth. 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 Southern Company (The) (SO) : Free Stock Analysis Report CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP) : Free Stock Analysis Report National Grid Transco, PLC (NGG) : Free Stock Analysis Report ENGIE - Sponsored ADR (ENGIY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Big Yields, Big Companies, Big Investment Opportunities
Prologis is the largest industrial REIT, offering a historically high 3.8% yield. Realty Income is the largest net lease REIT, offering an over 5.6% yield. Simon Property Group is the largest mall REIT, with an attractive 5.2% yield. 10 stocks we like better than Prologis › Dividend investors looking for high-yielding stocks should spend some time examining real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs are specifically designed to pass income on to investors. As the REIT sector has matured, however, a few companies have started to stand out and grow. Three such high-yield, industry-leading REITs you might want to buy today are Prologis (NYSE: PLD), Realty Income (NYSE: O), and Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG). Here's why. Prologis is the lowest-yielding REIT on this list, with a dividend yield of "just" 3.8%. That yield is well above the 1.3% yield of the S&P 500 index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), but a touch below the roughly 4% yield of the average real estate investment trust. However, Prologis' yield is near the high end of its yield range over the past decade. That makes this REIT highly attractive, given the relatively rapid pace of dividend growth it has achieved. Prologis is the largest industrial REIT, with a global portfolio of warehouses located in most of the vital distribution hubs of the world. The tariff issues swirling in the news have investors worried and downbeat on Prologis' stock, even though the business continues to perform fairly well. For example, adjusted funds from operations grew 10% year over year in the first quarter of 2025. The average annualized dividend increase over the past decade was over 10%. If you don't mind buying while other investors are selling, Prologis is a giant industrial REIT that looks like it is on sale. You'll need to go in with the belief that the tariff issues in play today will work themselves out over time. But given the interconnectedness of global trade, that seems like a reasonable conclusion. Like Prologis, Realty Income is the largest REIT in its niche. In this case, that niche is net lease. Realty Income's 5.6% yield is well above both the market's and the average REIT's. It also happens to be toward the high end of Realty Income's yield range over the past decade, suggesting that now is a good time to buy this giant dividend stock. Realty Income largely owns single-tenant properties across the U.S. and European markets. The tenants are responsible for most property-level costs (which is what a net lease requires of the tenant). Realty Income is heavily focused on retail assets, which tend to be easy to buy, sell, and release if needed. But it also has exposure to industrial properties and an increasing collection of "other" assets, like vineyards and casinos. In addition to these physical assets, Realty Income has started to make debt investments and to offer its investment services to institutional investors. Basically, it has been steadily increasing the levers it has to pull as it looks to keep growing. This is important because Realty Income is so large that it requires a lot to move the needle on the top and bottom lines. That's the bad news. The good news is that its scale and conservative culture make it a highly reliable dividend stock. On that score, the dividend has been increased annually for three decades and counting. If you don't mind collecting a lofty yield supported by an industry-leading company and slow and steady dividend growth (think low to mid-single digits), you might want to buy Realty Income today. Simon Property Group owns enclosed malls and factory outlet centers. Although most of its assets are in the U.S. market, it has a material number of factory outlet centers that are located overseas. Its portfolio tends to be focused on high-performing retail properties that have leading positions in the regions they service. People like to shop, and Simon gives them a way to do that. The dividend yield is a lofty 5.2%. There's an important caveat here, however. Simon Property Group has a history of cutting its dividend. It did so during the coronavirus pandemic's height and during the Great Recession, both periods of time when the consumer urge to visit a shopping mall waned. Expect cuts like these to happen again, but you should also expect the dividend to get right back on the growth track. That's what happened after the last two dividend cuts, since people tend to get back to shopping as quickly as they can when economic conditions improve. Probably the most important reason to like Simon is its focus on high-quality properties. Essentially, its malls are a big draw for consumers, which makes them a big draw for tenants, too. As lower-quality malls get shuttered, high-quality malls will become more and more attractive. If you can handle a little cyclicality, high-yield Simon has proven a very rewarding dividend stock over the long term. It isn't likely that investors will like all three of these REITs. However, they are each likely to be appealing to at least some investors on their own unique merits. Prologis is an out-of-favor landlord with a strong dividend growth record. Realty Income is a slow and steady tortoise, for those who like reliable dividends. And Simon is a high-quality retail landlord with a cyclical business that is increasingly differentiated from the pack. Before you buy stock in Prologis, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Prologis wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $692,914!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $963,866!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,049% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 179% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 30, 2025 Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Realty Income and Simon Property Group. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Prologis, Realty Income, and Simon Property Group. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $90 calls on Prologis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Big Yields, Big Companies, Big Investment Opportunities was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
ROKU vs. DIS: Which Ad-Supported Streaming Stock is the Better Pick?
Roku ROKU and Disney DIS are two major players betting on the future of ad-supported streaming, but they're taking very different paths. Roku is focused on a platform-first strategy built around connected TV (CTV) ads and an easy-to-use interface, while Disney is using its strong content library, streaming bundles and the upcoming ESPN direct-to-consumer launch to create a full ad-supported streaming ad-supported streaming grows in popularity, driven by changing viewer habits and tighter consumer budgets, the big question for investors is: Which company is in a better position to deliver growth for investors? Let's delve deeper. Roku has been strengthening its position in the U.S. ad-supported streaming market by focusing on platform innovation. The Roku Channel became the #2 app on its platform by engagement in the United States in the first quarter of 2025, driven by improvements to the AI-powered content row that has been boosting viewer engagement, ad reach and subscriptions. In the first quarter, platform revenues rose 17% year over year to $881 million, with platform gross margin maintained at 52.7%. Streaming hours on The Roku Channel were up 84% year over year, and more than a third of U.S. streaming households engaged monthly with the content row. Roku Ads Manager has been helping small businesses to launch performance-driven Home Screen has been reaching more than 125 million people daily, serving as a key launch point for advertisers. Roku's ad partnerships and shoppable formats have been unlocking new monetization avenues. A recent deal with Amazon Ads expanded reach to an estimated 80 million CTV homes. Roku has been investing in new ad products and measurement tools, expected to roll out in the second half of advertiser demand has been shifting toward non-guaranteed programmatic campaigns, which has been putting modest pressure on platform margins despite continued growth. This trend is expected to persist in the near term, as marketers prioritize flexibility and performance-driven outcomes amid an uncertain macro environment. Disney has been accelerating its position in the ad-supported streaming market by combining its content with a unified user experience. The integration of Hulu and sports content into Disney+ has been increasing engagement and significantly reducing churn. This broader content offering has been positioning Disney+ as a differentiated platform that appeals to a wider audience across genres and age the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Disney's streaming business delivered strong performance, contributing to a 20% year-over-year increase in adjusted earnings. ESPN's primetime viewership among the 18-49 demographic was up 32% year over year, its best fiscal second quarter ever. With the announcement of plans to launch ESPN's direct-to-consumer standalone service, Disney has been preparing a fully bundled, integrated experience that will combine live sports, entertainment and general content under one ad-supported has also been investing in ad-tech and personalization, with improvements expected to roll out over the coming months. Initiatives such as paid sharing and customized ad experiences have been helping improve both user engagement and advertising ROI. The company confirmed that major platform improvements are on track for near-term growing ad demand, improved churn and platform unification, Disney's streaming segment is expected to become a key profit driver in the years ahead. Valuation-wise, DIS shares are trading cheap while ROKU shares are overvalued, as suggested by a Value Score of B and D, respectively. In terms of forward 12-month Price/Sales, DIS shares are trading at 2.23X, below ROKU's 2.62X. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research In the year-to-date period, ROKU shares have gained 19.5%, while DIS shares have appreciated 11%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ROKU's second-quarter 2025 loss is pegged at 17 cents per share, which has remained steady over the past 30 days, indicating a 29.17% increase year over year. Roku, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Roku, Inc. Quote The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DIS' second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.47 per share, which has been revised upward by 2 cents over the past 30 days, indicating a 5.76% increase year over year. The Walt Disney Company price-consensus-chart | The Walt Disney Company Quote Roku has been delivering strong platform growth and expanding its ad-tech capabilities, but near-term challenges persist. Its reliance on programmatic ads adds execution risk, and platform margins remain under modest pressure. While innovation continues, much of the upside appears priced in, with limited movement in earnings meanwhile, is building a more integrated streaming ecosystem with unmatched content and global reach. With ESPN bundling, rising engagement and improving estimates, DIS stands out as the better long-term investment in ad-supported with a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), currently offers a better investment opportunity than ROKU, which has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 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 The Walt Disney Company (DIS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Roku, Inc. (ROKU) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
