RavenscroftGBC

Interesting info and announcements on and from companies held within the Ravenscroft Global Blue Chip Fund. Not financial advice or solicitation to invest.

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Ravenscroft Global Blue Chip invests in the shares of large capitalised companies for capital growth. Managed by Ravenscroft (CI) Limited who are regulated by the GFSC. Your capital is at risk. Please visit https://t.co/ydb0MtI5C3 for more information

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

.@ASML had their earnings this week and said that orders for its most advanced machines surged in Q4.

This suggests that AI chipmakers are increasing capacity, though we are keeping an eye on the impact of potentially cheaper compute brought about by DeepSeek.

#ASML

[Fiscal.ai @fiscal_ai]

New Lithography System Orders hit an all-time high at ASML this quarter.

$ASML

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Pharmaceutical company, @Sanofi, has said it will repurchase €5 billion of stock and grow profits faster this year as they pivot away from consumer health.

#Sanofi intends to continue its increasing R&D investments to focus on fast-growing drugs like its RSV shot.

[BioSpace @biospace]

.@sanofi's jump in earnings comes with an increased emphasis on R&D and vaccines, plus an eye cast toward M&A to shore up its pipeline.

#research #vaccines #merger #biospace
https://t.co/7avO2ooyng

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

New management has arrived at @EsteeLauder and they are beginning their tenure by reviewing the company’s portfolio of beauty brands.

This is part of a wider effort to revitalise the brand and assess where the strength of #EsteeLauder lies.

[Bloomberg @business]

Estée Lauder is reviewing its portfolio of beauty brands as the cosmetics company transitions to new leadership and looks to boost its share price https://t.co/iKlCYfzsT2

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

OpenAI, Softbank and our holding @Oracle, have launched a project entitled Stargate to build $500bn of AI infrastructure in the US.

This is a step to consolidate the US as the world leader in AI investment, with the first #Oracle data centre of the project underway in Texas.

[OpenAI @OpenAI]

Announcing The Stargate Project

The Stargate Project is a new company which intends to invest $500 billion over the next four years building new AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the United States. We will begin deploying $100 billion immediately. This infrastructure will secure American leadership in AI, create hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and generate massive economic benefit for the entire world. This project will not only support the re-industrialization of the United States but also provide a strategic capability to protect the national security of America and its allies.

The initial equity funders in Stargate are SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX. SoftBank and OpenAI are the lead partners for Stargate, with SoftBank having financial responsibility and OpenAI having operational responsibility. Masayoshi Son will be the chairman.

Arm, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, and OpenAI are the key initial technology partners. The buildout is currently underway, starting in Texas, and we are evaluating potential sites across the country for more campuses as we finalize definitive agreements.

As part of Stargate, Oracle, NVIDIA, and OpenAI will closely collaborate to build and operate this computing system. This builds on a deep collaboration between OpenAI and NVIDIA going back to 2016 and a newer partnership between OpenAI and Oracle.

This also builds on the existing OpenAI partnership with Microsoft. OpenAI will continue to increase its consumption of Azure as OpenAI continues its work with Microsoft with this additional compute to train leading models and deliver great products and services.

All of us look forward to continuing to build and develop AI—and in particular AGI—for the benefit of all of humanity. We believe that this new step is critical on the path, and will enable creative people to figure out how to use AI to elevate humanity.

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Last week, $EBAY signed a definitive agreement to buy Caramel, a used car dealing platform.

This is a move to make buying and selling vehicles on #eBay easier than ever, expanding one of its focus categories – vehicle parts & accessories – and further diversifying eBay’s niche.

[The Verge @verge]

eBay’s new acquisition could make it easy to buy a car from anywhere https://t.co/X6K6CydfgV

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Meta offered to publish #eBay listings on its Facebook Marketplace to comply with an EU antitrust order, giving eBay a boost.

It’s being tested in select countries, enabling buyers to browse $EBAY listings directly on Facebook Marketplace, completing their transaction on eBay.

[The Verge @verge]

Meta tests eBay listings in Facebook Marketplace https://t.co/kxhVIpVgYa

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Already in 2025 we have seen several announcements from the Big Tech companies, including our own holding #Microsoft, that they are continuing to invest significant sums in expanding their AI & Cloud infrastructure.

The AI capex boom continues.

$MSFT

[Bloomberg Technology @technology]

Microsoft plans to spend $3 billion to expand its cloud-computing and artificial intelligence capabilities in India.

Read more https://t.co/40nuZOyFhQ

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Factories seeking alternatives to manually operated forklifts could present a positive catalyst for #Honeywell & #Rockwell who operate autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

Rockwell in particular claims to have the most comprehensive fleet of AMRs with their OTTO brand.

$ROK $HON

[The Wall Street Journal @WSJ]

Forklifts have been integral to factories and warehouses for more than a century, but now companies are aspiring to go “forklift-free” to improve productivity and safety https://t.co/PORFVjtNZ4

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

4/ Effectively, this means that if OpenAI achieves AGI then it has to be able to at least provide Microsoft with the financial rewards it’s entitled to before its independence.

$MSFT

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

1/ OpenAI & Microsoft have come to an agreement over the definition of AGI, Artificial General Intelligence.

Original agreements between the two shut Microsoft out of OpenAI models when AGI was achieved, to avoid powerful tech being misused for commercial purposes.

[TechCrunch @TechCrunch]

Microsoft and OpenAI have a financial definition of AGI: report https://t.co/q8JAjLz9o6

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

3/ Now though, AGI will only be achieved “when OpenAI has developed systems that have the ability to generate the maximum total profits to which its earliest investors, including Microsoft, are entitled“.

A financial definition.

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

The NFL’s #Netflix debut was a success; the games were the most-streamed contests in NFL history & had fewer technical issues than Paul v. Tyson.

Viewership peaked during the half-time show of the Ravens-Texans game with over 27m viewers tuning in to the ‘Beyoncé Bowl’ 🏈

$NFLX

[Netflix @netflix]

The NFL is LIVE on Netflix. This Christmas!
Wednesday December 25
Chiefs vs. Steelers at 1 PM ET
Ravens vs. Texans at 4:30 PM ET

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Happy Holidays from everyone at Ravenscroft Global Blue Chip 🎄

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Big AI players have continued their investments in 2024, as demonstrated by #Microsoft who bought twice as many of Nvidia’s flagship chips vs any of its largest American & Chinese competitors.

Will this trend continue into 2025 without significant returns from such CapEx?

$MSFT

[Financial Times @FT]

With demand outstripping supply for Nvidia's most advanced chips, Microsoft’s hoard has given it an edge in the race to build the next generation of AI systems. https://t.co/ZYAefrzYwp

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Positive Phase 2 results were demonstrated by #Sanofi with Duvakitug, which showed best in class potential for treating Crohn’s disease.

$SAN is in a race here with competitors, & not only have they taken the lead with this data, but they have done so more cost-effectively.

[BioPharma Dive @BioPharmaDive]

Sanofi, Teva say study results show gut disease drug could be ‘best in class’ https://t.co/J19u9zVqi7 $SNY $TEVA by @BentheFidler

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

With #GSK agreeing a $2.9bn long-term distribution rights deal for Shingrix in China, and #Sanofi establishing a new €1.1bn production base in Beijing, we’re seeing more European healthcare companies doing deals in China even in the current geopolitical environment.

$GSK $SAN

[Bloomberg Markets @markets]

Sanofi will invest around $1.1 billion to build a new insulin production base in Beijing, its biggest single investment in China to date https://t.co/CissUkm3qb

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Recent efforts by #Diageo to raise Guinness’ profile are working as the amount of Guinness pubs can buy in the build up to Christmas has been limited due to “exceptional demand”.

Guinness popularity has risen significantly and $DGE is currently at ~100% production capacity.

[Morning Brew ☕️ @MorningBrew]

Guinness demand is so insane right now that parent company Diageo is rationing supplies in the UK

Sales—
• 2024 FY: +18%
• Non-Alc FY: +100% (YoY)

• Four weeks thru Nov: +19% (YoY)
• Jul through Oct: +20% (from kegs)

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

Production at #BMW has been given a boost in robotic trials, with their latest robot iteration providing a 400% faster work rate, with a 7x higher success rate, than the previous version.

We remain intrigued to see how they’ll fare when placed into actual $BMW manufacturing.

[BMW Group @BMWGroup]

Humanoid robots in production! 🦾🤖 Figure 02 robots are now 400% faster with 7x higher success after trials at Plant Spartanburg. Next stop: BMW Group Production. 🚀

Discover more: https://t.co/OTUKyvIS41
#BMWGroup #BMWiFACTORY #Innovation @Figure_robot

[RavenscroftGBC @RavenscroftGBC]

The US FDA accepted for review the supplemental New Drug Application for Vultrisan – an RNAi therapeutic from $ALNY – to treat ATTR-CM.

This is a positive for #Alnylam, plus the FDA stated they’re not planning to hold an Advisory Committee which would’ve lengthened the process.

[Alnylam Pharmaceuticals @Alnylam]

We are excited to share that the U.S. FDA has accepted our supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for vutrisiran, an investigational #RNAi therapeutic in development for the treatment of #ATTR-CM.

#RNAiTherapeutics #RNAinterference #amyloidosis