Latest news with #sustainableGrowth
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Cash-Heavy Stocks Worth Investigating
A clean balance sheet can signal disciplined management and stability. It also means a company can expand and thrive without relying on borrowed capital. Not all companies with sound capital structures are created equal, and StockStory is here to help you find the best. Keeping that in mind, here are three companies with net cash positions that can continue growing sustainably. Net Cash Position: $76.13 million (4.4% of Market Cap) Founded in 1987, American Superconductor (NASDAQ:AMSC) has shifted from superconductor research to developing power systems, adapting to changing energy grid needs and naval technology requirements. Why Are We Bullish on AMSC? Impressive 45% annual revenue growth over the last two years indicates it's winning market share this cycle Free cash flow margin is now positive, showing the company is at an important crossroads Improving returns on capital suggest its past investments are beginning to deliver value American Superconductor's stock price of $39.39 implies a valuation ratio of 75.2x forward P/E. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it's free. Net Cash Position: $259.3 million (2.4% of Market Cap) Originally launched with a focus on stigmatized conditions like hair loss and sexual health, Hims & Hers Health (NYSE:HIMS) operates a consumer-focused telehealth platform that connects patients with healthcare providers for prescriptions and wellness products. Why Is HIMS a Good Business? Average customer growth of 48.6% over the past two years demonstrates success in acquiring new clients that could increase their spending in the future Earnings per share have massively outperformed its peers over the last four years, increasing by 37% annually Free cash flow margin grew by 23.5 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more chips to play with At $47.98 per share, Hims & Hers Health trades at 36.3x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it's free. Net Cash Position: $299.7 million (9.4% of Market Cap) Founded in 2013 as a champion for content creator rights and free expression, Rumble (NASDAQ:RUM) is a video sharing platform that positions itself as a free speech alternative to mainstream platforms, offering creators more favorable revenue-sharing opportunities. Why Could RUM Be a Winner? Impressive 38.4% annual revenue growth over the last two years indicates it's winning market share this cycle Rumble is trading at $9.35 per share, or 21.9x trailing 12-month price-to-sales. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it's free. Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs. While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today 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
Zawya
07-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Qatar's construction market set to reinvent itself, says report
Qatar's construction sector is advancing with purpose, balancing economic diversification, technological innovation, and sustainable growth while navigating regional competition and rising delivery costs, according to professional services company, Turner & Townsend. The Qatar Market Intelligence 2025 report outlines how the country is repositioning itself as a regional hub for finance, education, tourism, and sports, with construction playing a pivotal role in achieving the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. Despite elevated construction costs, as Doha emerges as the second most expensive city to build in across the Middle East (average cost per sqm reaching $2,631), Qatar has one of the lowest inflation rates across the six nations in the GCC, stated the report. According to Turner & Townsend, this reflects strong fiscal management in Qatar with analysts forecasting the economy will double in size by 2031, restoring revenues to pre-2014 levels. Tendering conditions have also improved, with fewer but more qualified bidders fostering balanced competition and more stable pricing. The report highlights that Qatar's construction outlook is being shaped by the Third National Development Strategy (2024–2030), which reinforces the sector's role in driving economic resilience. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry's strategy further supports this by encouraging private sector partnerships and foreign investment. Despite wider regional disruption, energy remains a cornerstone of growth, with the expansion of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline which is anticipated to increase its overall LNG capacity approximately by one third. Meanwhile, the issuance of $2.5 billion in green bonds will fund renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure, aligning with the country's long-term development goals, stated the report. Turner & Townsend pointed out that tourism was also a key growth driver. Following the FIFA World Cup in 2022, the country expects visitor numbers to reach just shy of three and half million in 2025, with a target of six million by 2030. This is spurring demand for real estate and hospitality developments, it added. However, the report also identifies several headwinds. Regional competition, particularly from Saudi Arabia's infrastructure boom, is intensifying the battle for skilled labour, pushing up delivery costs. High global shipping rates and limited local manufacturing capacity continue to inflate tender prices, despite improvements in domestic production. Michael Brady, Director at Turner & Townsend, said: "Qatar's construction market is at a pivotal moment. While the sector faces cost and capacity challenges, the country's long-term vision and strategic investments are creating a resilient and forward-looking industry which is set to reinvent itself." "The focus on sustainability, innovation, and economic diversification - including digital and infrastructure advancement - is setting the stage for a new era of growth," he stated. "To stay competitive, stakeholders must adapt to evolving market dynamics, embrace digital transformation, and build stronger supply chain resilience," he added. -TradeArabia News Service Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
01-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Access Bank committed to unlocking Africa's vast trade potential
During the first Access Bank Af- rica Trade Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, Seyi Kuma- payi, Executive Director, African Subsidiaries at Access Bank plc, expounded on the chal-lenges facing all stakeholders involved in trade in Africa and how Access Bank is working to connect the continent in trade. 'Access Bank is at the forefront, pio- neering financial solutions to try and see this growth through,' he said. Earlier, Kumapayi had bemoaned the fact that, despite Africa's population of 1.3bn, trade between the continent and the rest of the world is only 3% - while in- tra-African trade accounts for only about 16% of the continent's total trade. Access Bank is committed to change that and to ensure that 'Africa starts to trade with itself'. 'We want to use our connections in and outside Africa and, working within the African Continental Free Trade Agree-ment, to be a gateway between Africa and the world. [And] We are working to bridge these glaring gaps to ensure we take intra- African trade to 30% to 40% over the next couple of years.' Empowering Africa The conference, with the theme 'Empower- ing Africa through Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Growth', brought together a range of stakeholders in the trade eco- system to encourage discussion on trade solutions and strategies to expand markets in Africa. Delegates included small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and regional corporates, industry leaders, policymak- ers, importers and exporters, customs and government revenue agencies and trade financiers. Speakers at the conference included Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice- president, Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank; Dr Marc Auboin, Counsellor, World Trade Organi- sation; and Solomon Quaynor, Vice- president, Private Sector Infrastructure and Industrialisation at the African De- velopment Bank. Kumapayi described the event as an opportunity to make connections, share insights and to collaborate to solve Af- rica's challenges and to seek opportuni- ties to support intra-African trade. The three challenges He identified the three critical chal- lenges which must be overcome if trade in Africa is to make any significant pro- gress as: a lack of access to appropri- ately-priced capital; a lack of access to information; and a lack of trust between trading partners on the continent. Turning to the problem of access to capital, Kumapayi said many busi- nesses across the continent are ham- strung because of an inability to ac- cess capital. The structure of capital is an obstacle, while the inhibiting cost of capital is often too high to enable companies to engage competitively in business. 'How do you enhance finance for the guy in Ghana to buy from the guy in Cameroon? This problem of access to capital is a huge obstacle to trade in Af- rica,' he said. What is needed is a financial services sector that enables businesses to access capital to invest in growth as well as innovation, and the capacity needed to take their business to other countries. 'It is up to the African banks to help cre- ate solutions.' On access to information, Kumapayi said there are numerous businesses in Africa that do not have access to the in- formation or business intelligence needed to make informed decisions about op- portunities outside their national borders. He said the financial services sector and other stakeholders must make it a priority to share information and harness technol- ogy to ensure African businesses are able to analyse opportunities in other countries. On the deficit of trust between trading partners, Kumapayi cited the numerous historic challenges between a number of countries in Africa, including a lack of reci- procity relating to regulations and a lack of uniformity in standards on the continent. 'When there is a lack of trust, people don't trade with each other. These issues seriously hamper collaboration and there is a need to focus on building trust and creating a healthy climate for trade.' Kumapayi said Access Bank has al- ways been committed to driving eco- nomic growth and fostering sustainable development across the African continent. 'Our presence now spans 24 countries, where we play a crucial role in facilitating trade, supporting both corporates and SMEs, and empowering key demographics such as women and youth. This extensive footprint enables us to foster cross-border trade, offer tailored financial solutions, and stimulate job creation, thus contributing to the broader socio-economic develop- ment of the regions in which we operate.' Working internationally He added that Access Bank works closely with a number of Development Finance Institutions, such as the International Fi- nance Corporation, Africa Finance Cor- poration and the African Development Bank. 'Today, we have attracted over $2bn into Africa for long-term lending... across Africa.' Access Bank is also committed to pro- viding financing to enable trade benefi- ciation on commodities from Africa, like cocoa and crude oil. 'We need to do more refining, and adding of value to raw ma- terials in Africa, before exporting.' Kumapayi said the conference was significant for the bank right now because Access Bank has built its business largely around trade. 'We wanted to expose what we are doing and point out how working with us can help transform trade in Africa. 'Access Bank has been doing a lot of acquisitions over the last two years. We are at a point where we are consolidating. We've seen trade as one of the most im- portant things to make the consolidation phase of our strategy happen. 'This conference brings people to- gether to say that Africa is ready to trade. Access Bank can be that powerhouse to connect Africa from a trade perspec- tive.' He added that the conference was an opportunity to showcase Access Bank's presence in Africa and abroad. 'We are showing the world that, wherever they want to trade, if they are our customer, we will make that connection happen.' Expansion strategy Turning to Access Bank's expansion strategy across the continent and its plans for the near future, Kumapayi said: 'In line with our long-term vision, Access Bank continues to focus on expanding its capabilities across the continent. Between 2025 and 2027, our strategy will be centred on consolidat- ing our market leadership by deepen- ing relationships with our clients, en- hancing our digital banking platforms, and expanding our services in key sec- tors such as agriculture, technology, and energy. We are also committed to continuing our support for women and youth empowerment, which remains a cornerstone of our corporate social responsibility initiatives. 'In the near future, Access Bank will be intensifying efforts to streamline operations, optimise our resources, and ensure that our customers across Africa benefit from a seamless banking experience, while we also continue to ex- pand our reach into emerging markets. As we grow, we are focused on creating posi- tive, lasting impacts in the communities where we operate, driving financial inclu- sion, and contributing to Africa's ongoing economic transformation.' Kumapayi said the conference was a demonstration of the bank's commitment to unlocking the massive potential for trade in Africa. 'I am very excited about trade prospects for Africa. We can't keep saying Africa has potential. We have to realise that potential. Because of Access Bank's convening power, we have about 60m customers across Africa who can lead that change. 'We need to bring everybody to the table, to say Africa's time is now. We need to take action, and today's conference is part of that action. It's not a confer- ence where we just talk, but one where we agree on what must be done and ensure we follow up to see it's done.' n 'Our presence now spans 24 countries. This enables us to foster cross-border trade, offer tailored financial solutions, and stimulate job creation.' © Copyright IC Publications 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Asharq Al-Awsat
26-06-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Fashion Commission Hosts Virtual Dialogue on Empowering Creativity, Shaping Future of Saudi Fashion
The Fashion Commission is hosting a virtual dialogue session on Thursday centered on empowering creativity and shaping the future of Saudi fashion. The session is part of an ongoing series of open sessions designed to keep stakeholders and enthusiasts informed about sector developments and to foster continuous dialogue on its strategic direction. The session will explore the vital role of education as a foundation for nurturing creativity and promoting sustainable growth in the Saudi fashion industry. It will also highlight the commission's educational initiatives aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, aimed at strengthening the creative economy. Participants will learn about key educational and training programs developed in partnership with local and international institutions, supporting those interested in design, textiles, handicrafts, entrepreneurship, and other essential skills driving the fashion sector. The commission invites students, designers, entrepreneurs, academics, and fashion enthusiasts to join this open meeting - a platform for direct dialogue with officials and industry experts - accessible via a link shared on its official page on X.
Zawya
20-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Global FDI rose 4% in 2024 to $1.5trln: UNCTAD
GENEVA - The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) revealed a decline in global foreign direct investment (FDI) value by 11 percent, marking a second consecutive year of contraction. According to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2025, issued Thursday in Geneva, global FDI increased by 4 percent in 2024 to reach US$1.5 trillion. However, this rise was driven in part by volatile financial flows through several European economies, which often act as investment transit hubs. The report stressed that the findings underscore the urgent need to reshape investment and finance systems to support inclusive and sustainable growth. The report comes ahead of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, which will bring world leaders together to address the widening gap between capital flows and development needs. UNCTAD noted that investment fell sharply in developed economies, particularly in Europe, while flows to developing countries remained broadly stable. Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, said fragmentation and volatility are distorting investment flows, adding that the investment landscape in 2024 was shaped by geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation, and intensifying competition in industrial policies. She explained that these dynamics, coupled with elevated financial risks and uncertainty, are redrawing global investment maps and undermining long-term investor confidence. The report highlighted a 22 percent decline in FDI to developed economies, including a 58 percent plunge in Europe, while North America bucked the trend with a 23 percent increase, led by the United States. Regional trends varied: Africa saw a 75 percent surge in FDI, driven by a single large project in Egypt. Excluding this, inflows rose by 12 percent, supported by investment facilitation and regulatory reforms. Asia maintained its position as the leading recipient region. Despite a slight 3 percent decline overall, Southeast Asia recorded a 10 percent rise in FDI to US$225 billion — the second-highest level on record. In contrast, Latin America and the Caribbean saw a 12 percent drop in total inflows, although announcements of new projects rose in key markets such as Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. The report affirmed that the Middle East maintained strong FDI inflows, supported by economic diversification efforts in the Gulf region. FDI flows among structurally vulnerable economies varied: they increased by 9 percent in least developed countries (LDCs) and by 14 percent in small island developing states (SIDS), but declined by 10 percent in landlocked developing countries (LLDCs). Across all three groups, investment remained heavily concentrated in a small number of countries.
