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Duolingo Stock Surges Despite User Concerns over AI Transition — is it a Buy, Sell, or Hold?

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     Duolingo (NASDAQ : DUOL) has been a favorite among Wall Street : 164% returns since last year and 34% in the last month, yet much of its user base has expressed staunch disdain over Duolingo following reports that AI will be replacing contract workers for its language learning models. The company is one of the fastest growing companies on Wall Street, and this high growth is priced in : an eye-watering 249 P/E ratio is observed, showing the absolute trust bulls have in the high-growth tech company. Any small slow-down would send stock prices tumbling, leading us to a discussion on whether to buy, sell or hold Duolingo.      Duolingo primarily makes its money from its subscription services. The platform is free to use for all, but daily usage is limited to 5 mistakes. Users can pay 12.99$ monthly or 59$ annually for its Super service which allows for unlimited mistakes and further access to exercises, while its newer Max service uses AI to formulate use...
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United Healthcare Craters 45% YTD : Will It Recover?

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       United Healthcare Group (UNH) stocks are trading significantly lower today after a series of misfortunes have made it plunge over the last couple of months. Considering the current price, is it a buy or sell? Three key topics need to be covered : its most recent earnings, the CEO switch-up and the DOJ investigation.       Earnings have been a key driver of UNH's downfall over the last few months, yet it might have been an overreaction : while the earnings were below their expected key levels, the company did continue to grow their EPS quarter-on-quarter. It is quite hard to believe that a miss of -0.09c on their earnings deserves a slash of 20% on their stock price. However, it does show increasing issues within the company : an elderly (and dying) customer base and slower growth for their key Optum services (pharmaceutical services business making up 44% of their profits) may indicate a slow-down in revenue and profit growth. Yet, this gro...
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Google : Buy, Sell or Hold?

       Google seems to have lagged behind many of its Mag 7 counterparts in regaining lost ground during the Liberation Day crash. It has had a return of around 9% since the height (or low!) of Liberation Day, while Nvidia and Meta are almost back to pre-tariff levels, having regained 30% and 27% since Liberation Day.       Yet many of its fundamentals remain strong : 30% profit margins, slightly undervalued when looking at EPS and P/E and good growth prospects on AI and cloud infrastructure (cloud infrastructure's share of Google's revenue has been growing), all the more so with its heavy investments into R&D. However, Google's current bearish nature might be of concern : even with Google's solid earnings the stock took a hit, continuing its downward trend since February.       Let's take a closer look at Alphabet's most recent earnings : revenue has surged : 28% increase on cloud revenue and 10% increase on services reven...
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Interest Rate Decision Looms : How Will the Stock Market React?

       In one week, the Fed will announce their monumental decision on interest rates. The challenges the central bank faces are unprecedented : the first net negative economic growth since 2022, a challenging leader in the Oval Office, and a trade war that will surely rattle the markets.       The consensus remains that the Fed is expected to cut interest rates, yet it is certainly influencing the decision. Jerome Powell has been at the center of Trump's critiques of the Fed, yet this constant barrage of comments is unlikely to make a difference, with Powell stating, " Our independence is a matter of law, " showing little resignation on the matter. In all likelihood, the Fed will cut interest rates ever so slightly to facilitate a return to net positive GDP growth, at the same time giving President Trump a "victory."       Investors have to remain wary : the stock market has ridden a wave of gains the past week, and while the ...
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