We'll Close With This Tonight -- Cash Flow Among The Magnficent Seven -- December 23, 2024

Locator: 44520APPLE.

Yes, I saw that, too. Only six.  

Is this the red flag that concerns Warren Buffett? It seems we've discussed this before, years ago. But I forget.

Link here.

How can free cash flow exceed net income?

US Vehicle Sales -- An Update -- December 23, 2024

Locator: 44519AUTOS.

All numbers need to be fact-checked, but in very general and in some cases, very round numbers, number of vehicles sold in the US by these manufacturers, 2023:

• Toyota: about 2.8 million vehicles
• GM: about 2.6 million vehicles (an increase of 14% y/y)
• Honda + Nissan: about 2.2 million vehicles [Honda, 1.3 million; Nissan, 0.9 million]
• Honda: an increase of 33% y/y
• Nissan: an increase of 23% y/y
• Ford: 1.9 million vehicles (an increase of 7.9%)
• Hyundai Kia: 1.65 million vehicles 

Most of the numbers above were provided by AI and I've found many errors in AI-generated reports, so I wouldn't be surprised if some of the numbers above are incorrect, but that's all I'm going to do with this tonight. It gives me the information I need, even if it's not perfect. 

Among luxury brands, Mercedes Benz and BMW compete head-to-head in that category, each having sold nearly 400,000 vehicles in the US in 2023. In 2023, BMW beat out Mercedes Benz. 

The merger, link here.

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Cypertrucks

Link here. Why does this, if true, not surprise me?

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VW ID.Buzz

Link here. Why does this not surprise me?

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Canoo

Going, going, gone?

Link here.

GM And Lithium Americas Close Deal On Nevada Mine -- Update -- December 23, 2024

Locator: 44518BATTERIES.

In all the stock market clutter today, this may have been the most overlooked story:

Link here.

Tech Jargon -- AMD And Micron -- An Update -- December 23, 2024

Locator: 44517TECH.

Analysts' comments and recommendations with regard to tech (with regard to anything, actually), are a dime a dozen. With inflation, maybe a buck a dozen. Whatever.

But it may be helpful to know what folks are thinking and, along the way, hopefully, one picks up some information about the state of the industry.

Two recommendations from analysts today, link here: AMD and Micron. I hold both in my tech portfolio, and I have very specific reasons why I hold both. So, naturally, I was interested in the story at the link.

With regard to AMD, nothing to add, but note the writer did not forget Xilinx. That's why I have AMD.

But the "stuff" on Micron was interesting. I could be wrong, but the writer did not say what HBM stands for. So, here we go:

From the article:

In particular, the analyst liked Micron’s HBM opportunity, where the trade ratios are 3-to-1 to DDR5 and moving to 4-to-1 with the move to HBM4, a structural shift Frankel did not witness in any other memory cycle.

Industry HBM supply continues to be an issue to watch as supply does not catch up to demand well into calendar 2025.

For Micron, Frankel’s viewpoint on HBM is more related to the overall implications of DRAM bit supply, with HBM3E garnering a 3-to-1 trade ratio and HBM4 a 4-to-1 trade ratio, creating a favorable supply and demand dynamic.

Hopefully this helps:

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Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia. Nvidia is a metonym for AI and/or the sixth industrial revolution.
  
• Longer version here. 

An Area Of Interest For Devon Energy; Though Case Was Withdrawn -- An Area To Watch -- December 23, 2024

Locator: 44516B.

December, 2024, hearing dockets.  

Link here.

The NDIC hearing dockets are tracked here.

As usual this is done very quickly and using shorthand for my benefit. There will be factual and typographical errors on this page. Do not quote me on any of this. It's for my personal use to help me better understand the Bakken. Do not read it. If you do happen to read it, do not make any investment, financial, job, relationship, or travel plans based on anything you read here or think you may have read here. If this stuff is important to you, and I doubt that it is, but if it is, go to the source. These are cases, not permits.

Thursday, December 19, 2024. Link here.

The case:

• 31410, Devon Energy Williston, seven wells on one unit; five wells on another unit; four wells on a third unit; one well on a fourth unit; one well on a fifth unit; one well on a sixth unit; seven wells on a seventh unit; 26 wells total. [Later: this case was withdrawn, 12/16/24.] 

The map:

From the NDIC: