Latest news with #California-based
Business Wire
3 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Sweet Success: How Butter Baked Cake Co. Boosted Sales & Efficiency with CMTC Support
LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- California Manufacturing Technology Consulting® (CMTC) recently partnered with Butter Baked Cake Co. to help the California-based specialty food manufacturer overcome operational and marketing challenges. 'Working with CMTC has been truly transformational for Butter Baked Cake Co., providing invaluable support in marketing, finance, and strategy,' said Owner Whitney Lounsbury Located in Oceanside, CA, Butter Baked Cake Co. manufactures sugar-free, gluten-free, and grain-free desserts that cater to health-conscious individuals without compromising on taste. Founded in 2018, Butter Baked's mission is to ensure no one misses out on the joy of delicious treats due to dietary restrictions. Butter Baked Cake Co. uses only high-quality, minimally processed ingredients to create indulgent options for everyone. Facing challenges in a competitive and saturated market, Butter Baked Cake Co. struggled with brand differentiation and inconsistent messaging. Butter Baked's digital presence – including their website and e-commerce platform – was underperforming, requiring improvements in user experience, SEO, and social media strategy. Butter Baked Cake Co. also lacked a structured plan for customer retention and engagement, making it difficult to foster repeat business and loyalty. Additionally, operational inefficiencies in production and fulfillment further hindered Butter Baked's ability to manage demand and scale effectively. To address Butter Baked Cake Co.'s challenges, CMTC conducted consultation sessions to refine brand positioning. These sessions, in combination with a messaging guide, helped to ensure a clear identity and consistent messaging for Butter Baked. CMTC also performed a comprehensive website audit which offered insights into improving functionality, SEO, and user experience, along with strategic recommendations for enhancing Butter Baked Cake Co.'s digital presence. To boost customer retention, CMTC advised on email marketing and loyalty incentives to encourage repeat business and led a SWOT analysis and competitive review to highlight market opportunities and positioning strategies. Finally, CMTC facilitated operational consultations to help with workflow efficiencies and automation tools in order to streamline production and fulfillment processes. As a result of their work with CMTC, Butter Baked Cake Co. estimates a $355,320 increase in sales, $25,000 in cost savings, 6 jobs added, and 6 jobs retained. 'Working with CMTC has been truly transformational for Butter Baked Cake Co., providing invaluable support in marketing, finance, and strategy,' said Owner Whitney Lounsbury. To drive continued growth, Butter Baked plans to make a capital investment of $95,000 into their business – this includes $2,000 in plant equipment, $3,000 in IT, $50,000 in co-manufacturing operations, $10,000 in business development, $10,000 in packaging, and $20,00 in marketing. For more information about CMTC's services, contact Rachel Miller at rmiller@ or 310-984-0096. Established in 1992, California Manufacturing Technology Consulting ® (CMTC) focuses exclusively on manufacturing across California, delivering customized, consultative solutions tailored to each client's unique needs. Backed by seasoned industry professionals, extensive networks, and strong partnerships, CMTC offers cost-effective, top-to-bottom services — from the C-suite to the shop floor. As trusted advisors, CMTC combines deep business management expertise with a passion for helping manufacturers thrive, driving measurable ROI and long-term client success.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How is Cooper Companies' Stock Performance Compared to Other Medical Instruments & Supplies Stocks?
San Ramon, California-based The Cooper Companies, Inc. (COO) is a global medical device company that develops, manufactures, and markets contact lenses. With a market cap of around $14 billion, the company operates in two segments, CooperVision and CooperSurgical. Companies worth $10 billion or more are generally described as 'large-cap' stocks, and Cooper Companies fits this criterion perfectly. The company specializes in contact lenses and eye care products, and also offers a wide range of medical devices and fertility solutions for women's health. It focuses on innovation, patient outcomes, and global expansion to drive long-term growth across healthcare markets. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Says 'We Are Heading Towards a World Where AI Will Just Have Unbelievable Context on Your Life' Archer Aviation Is Betting Big on Its Fledgling Defense Business. Does That Make ACHR Stock a Buy Here? Unusual Call Options Activity in Marvell Technology Highlights the Value of MRVL Stock Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market analysis you won't find anywhere else. Shares of Cooper Companies have declined 37.9% from its 52-week high of $112.38. COO stock has dropped 12.8% over the past three months, a steeper decline than the First Trust Indxx Global Medical Devices ETF's (MDEV) 2.3% decrease. Longer term, shares of COO have plunged 24.1% on a YTD basis, notably underperforming MDEV's nearly 2.7% downtick over the same time frame. Moreover, Cooper's stock has fallen 23.8% over the past 52 weeks, compared to MDEV's marginal dip. Despite some fluctuations, the stock has been trading below its 50-day moving average since late October last year and its 200-day moving average since early December last year. Despite posting strong Q2 2025 results on May 29, shares of COO tumbled 14.6% the next day. Quarterly revenue rose 6.3% year-over-year to $1 billion, exceeding Street expectations, while adjusted EPS increased 19.6% year-over-year to $0.96, also beating estimates. However, the stock declined as the company lowered its full-year organic growth outlook to 5% to 6%, down from the previous forecast of 6% to 8%, which dampened investor sentiment. Compared to its rival, Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) has slightly underperformed the COO stock over the past 52 weeks, decreasing 25.7%. However, shares of ALGN have declined 13.7% YTD, a less pronounced dip compared to COO stock. Although COO has underperformed, analysts are moderately optimistic about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of 'Moderate Buy' from the 16 analysts covering the stock. As of writing, the stock is trading below the mean price target of $94.87. On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on 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
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Nvidia's Bringing Sovereign AI to Germany. Should You Buy NVDA Stock Here?
Artificial intelligence (AI) darling Nvidia's (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang has been championing the idea of 'sovereign AI' since 2023, a vision rooted in the belief that every nation should have ownership over its own AI, shaped by its unique language, culture, and values. And now, Europe is starting to take this message seriously. Just last week, the chip giant partnered with Deutsche Telekom (DTEGY) to introduce sovereign AI in Germany, unveiling plans to develop an AI-powered industrial cloud for European manufacturers. This so-called 'AI factory,' which will be operated by Deutsche Telekom, is expected to be up and running by 2026. It's designed to help European manufacturers integrate AI into a wide range of applications, from design and engineering to simulation, robotics, and digital twins. 'It Has No Utility': Warren Buffett Doesn't Care How High Gold Goes, He Isn't a Buyer OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Says 'We Are Heading Towards a World Where AI Will Just Have Unbelievable Context on Your Life' Archer Aviation Is Betting Big on Its Fledgling Defense Business. Does That Make ACHR Stock a Buy Here? Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today! In fact, this is just the beginning. Nvidia is also looking beyond Germany, with plans to expand its chip footprint into data centers across Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Finland, and Sweden. So, with sovereign AI finally gaining traction in Europe, is Nvidia's growing role in this development worth investors' attention? California-based Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) has rapidly risen to the forefront of the tech world, thanks to its game-changing advances in AI and GPU technology. From powering immersive gaming experiences to fueling data centers, autonomous vehicles, and high-performance computing, Nvidia's chips are the engine behind countless modern breakthroughs, firmly establishing the company as a driving force in the digital revolution. With a staggering $3.5 trillion market cap, Nvidia has cemented its place among the world's most valuable companies. But in 2025, the chip giant's meteoric rise has started to lose a bit of steam. A mix of geopolitical headwinds, including escalating U.S.-China trade tensions and tariff battles, along with growing investor caution around the pace of AI spending and the emergence of new competitive chips, have all weighed on investors' sentiment. After an eye-popping 794% return over the past three years, Nvidia is up just 7.3% so far this year, a far cry from its previous pace, yet still outpacing the broader S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) modest 1.7% gain during the same stretch. High-growth giants like Nvidia rarely come cheap, and with its dominant position in the AI world, that premium is expected. The stock currently trades at 35.4 times forward earnings, well above sector norms. However, on a positive note, that valuation is actually more reasonable than it's been in the past. Compared to its five-year average of 47.33x, Nvidia's current multiple suggests the stock, while still expensive, isn't as overheated as it once was. All eyes were on Nvidia last month, when the chip king dropped its fiscal 2026 first-quarter earnings results on May 28, and once again, it blew past expectations. Revenue skyrocketed 69% year-over-year to $44.1 billion, blowing past the $43.3 billion estimate. Once again, Nvidia's data center segment stole the spotlight, delivering aggressive growth as the company continues to power the engine behind the AI revolution. Nvidia's data center business delivered a wonderful 73% annual surge to $39.1 billion, accounting for a dominant 88% of the company's top-line figure. Meanwhile, its gaming segment, driven by demand for high-performance 3D chips, climbed 42% to $3.8 billion. Even its automotive and robotics division joined the growth party, accelerating 72% year over year to $567 million. During the quarter, Nvidia hit a regulatory speed bump when the U.S. government ruled that its previously approved H20 chip for China would face new restrictions. The impact was costly. Nvidia took a $4.5 billion charge for excess inventory tied to the chip and estimated it lost out on $2.5 billion in potential sales. As a result, the company's adjusted gross margin landed at 61%, but without the China-related hit, it would have been a much stronger 71.3%. On the bottom line, Nvidia posted adjusted earnings of $0.81 per share, up 33% year over year and topping estimates by 8%. Without the drag from the H20 chip charge, that figure would've jumped to $0.96. Nevertheless, investors appeared satisfied with the company's Q1 performance, with the stock soaring 3.3% on May 29. For the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Nvidia is projecting revenue of $45 billion, give or take 2%, a figure that already accounts for an estimated $8 billion hit from recent export control restrictions impacting its H20 chips. On the profitability front, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins are expected to land at 71.8% and 72%, respectively, with a 50-basis-point wiggle room. Despite the headwinds, Nvidia is still aiming high, targeting gross margins in the mid-70% range by the end of the year. Overall, Wall Street's confidence in Nvidia remains rock-solid, with the stock still carrying a resounding 'Strong Buy' consensus rating, reflecting unwavering confidence in its long-term story. Of the 44 analysts offering recommendations, 37 are giving it a solid 'Strong Buy,' three suggest a 'Moderate Buy,' three advocate 'Hold,' and the remaining one gives a 'Strong Sell.' The average analyst price target of $174.02 indicates 23% potential upside from the current price levels. The Street-high price target of $220 suggests that NVDA could rally as much as 55% from here. As sovereign AI gains traction across Europe, Nvidia is positioning itself at the core of the region's AI ambitions. Through strategic partnerships like the one with Deutsche Telekom in Germany and a broader push into European data centers, the company is ensuring that even as countries strive for AI independence, they continue to heavily rely on Nvidia's technology. With China sales constrained by export restrictions, this European expansion opens up a timely new growth avenue. Plus, taking into account the company's strong fundamentals and continued backing from Wall Street, Nvidia's latest European expansion adds another powerful layer to its growth story. In a market where regional AI independence is becoming a priority, NVDA's strategic move certainly deserves investors' attention. On the date of publication, Anushka Mukherji did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
CNBC
9 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
This phone is made in the USA, and Trump's name isn't on it
President Donald Trump's family business is taking preorders for a gold-colored smartphone, the T1. Trump Mobile, which launched Tuesday, says the device will be available in September, cost far less than Apple's and Samsung's smartphones — and be made in the United States, aligning with the president's "America First" economic ethos. Industry experts and tech journalists instantly cast doubt on those claims. And if Carlsbad, California-based smartphone maker Purism is any example, it would take much more than two months for Trump Mobile to build an American-made smartphone from scratch. It would also most likely be more expensive than the T1's advertised price of $499. At $2,000, Purism's Liberty Phone is more expensive than an iPhone 16 Pro. It has half the iPhone's memory with roughly twice the thickness. You also can't download many apps on it. According to Todd Weaver, who founded Purism in 2014, it's the only U.S.-made smartphone on the market. But with "kill switches" to turn off its Wi-Fi, camera and microphone, the Liberty Phone is marketed as a secure option because it also carries its own operating system designed by Purism. It took a lot of time and effort to get to that point, Weaver told NBC News. Going from "I would like to make a phone and I would like to make it in the U.S." to actually achieving it took six years, he said. Purism's assembly line consists of just four people screwing together phones by hand — a far cry from the shoulder-to-shoulder line of people and automated machinery often associated with mass production facilities in China. The "Made in the USA electronics" sticker that Purism slaps on the product is a declaration of confidence — since the Federal Trade Commission regulates claims of that sort. Yet even Purism's built-in-America phone needs some foreign help. Ninety percent of its materials come from the United States, Canada or Europe. Among the components made elsewhere: a chassis from China, camera modules from China or South Korea and a Bluetooth module from India. Purism publishes that information online. For materials like a specific crystal necessary for the motherboard to operate, Purism says there are no options for U.S. sourcing, meaning there's no choice but to buy from China. "There just isn't a company yet providing that single crystal," Weaver said. The Trump Organization didn't respond to questions about how Trump Mobile's T1 phone would be made. Another issue looming over the market: Trump's ever-shifting trade policies. He recently threatened a 25% tariff on all smartphone imports, taking aim at manufacturers like Apple and Samsung, which make their phones abroad. "Again, when they build their plant here, there's no tariff, so they're going to be building plants here," he said last month. The percentage of the materials for Purism's phone that come from overseas is small enough that tariffs from the Trump administration wouldn't affect its $2,000 price. But the tariffs would affect a phone Purism does make in China, called the Librem 5. It's priced at $800, but new import duties would take it closer to the Liberty phone's $2,000 level. While tariffs are a "good incentive" for manufacturing in the United States, Weaver said, the administration's on-again, off-again approach makes it tough to plan. "It's terrible," Weaver said. "If you have no idea and you can't predict [the policy], it's very hard for any company, for any business owner. From T-shirts, textiles to high tech, it is very hard to make a long-term business decision when you're in a whipsaw."
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Honda-backed Helm.ai unveils vision system for self-driving cars
Honda Motor-backed on Thursday unveiled its camera-based system to interpret urban environments, dubbed Vision, and said it was in talks with other automakers to deploy its self-driving technology in mass-market vehicles. is working with the Japanese automaker to integrate its technology in the upcoming 2026 Honda Zero series of electric vehicles, which will allow users to drive hands-free and take their eyes off the road. "We're definitely in talks with many OEMs and we're on track for deploying our technology in production," CEO and founder Vladislav Voroninski told Reuters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cai Rong: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More "Our business model is essentially licensing this kind of software and also foundation model software to the automakers." The California-based startup's vision-first approach aligns with Elon Musk 's Tesla , which also relies on camera-based systems as alternate sensors such as lidar and radar can increase costs. Live Events However, Voroninski said while has foundation models that work with other sensors, its primary offering remains vision-focused. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories Industry experts say other sensors are critical to safety as they can act as backup for cameras, which are known to underperform in low-visibility conditions. Robotaxi companies such as Alphabet's Waymo and May Mobility use a combination of radar, lidar and cameras to perceive their surroundings. has raised $102 million to date and counts Goodyear Ventures, Korean auto parts maker Sungwoo HiTech and Amplo among its investors. Vision combines images from multiple cameras to create a bird's-eye view map, which helps improve the vehicle's planning and control systems, the company said. The system is optimised for several hardware platforms made by the likes of Nvidia and Qualcomm. This enables automakers to incorporate Vision into their existing vehicle systems, which include their own technologies for predicting and planning vehicle movements.
