KLA (KLAC)
KLA (NASDAQ:KLAC), is a powerhouse in the world of semiconductor solutions. The company plays a key role in the production and improvement of our electronic devices’ “brains.”
What makes it shine among AI stocks? For starters, it has been showing great financial muscle. In the first quarter of fiscal 2024, total revenue soared to $2.4 billion, beating even its own expectations.
But it’s not just about dollars and cents. The company also strives to make a positive impact. The KLA Foundation recently awarded $1 million in grants to four nonprofit organizations. These grants focus on expanding access to education, promoting emotional well-being and improving educational systems for underrepresented students. It’s a clear sign that KLAC is committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities it reaches.
But KLAC doesn’t stop with profit and philanthropy — it also drives innovation and cultivates talent. The Semiconductor Talent and Automotive Research initiative, born out of a partnership with imec, is evidence of this commitment.
The aim is to develop the skills and infrastructure needed for cutting-edge semiconductor applications in areas such as electrification and autonomous mobility. This initiative spreads its wings across Europe, the United States and Asia, embodying KLAC’s global vision.
Baidu (BIDU)
Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU), a leader in the AI sector, continues to make waves with its recent developments, capturing the attention of investors looking for a prominent addition to their portfolios.
In October 2023, the company introduced ERNIE 4.0, a cutting-edge technology accessible through ERNIE Bot and Cloud API, demonstrating Baidu’s commitment to staying at the forefront of AI advancements.
Investor confidence is bolstered by Baidu’s shareholder initiatives. With a total of $126 million returned to shareholders in Q3 2023, cumulative buyback under the ongoing program has now reached an impressive $351 million.
In an era where ethical considerations are paramount, Baidu took a proactive stance by establishing the Technology Ethics Committee in October 2023. This move demonstrates the company’s commitment to responsible and ethical AI practices, ensuring that technology positively serves society.
Baidu’s initiatives extend beyond the virtual realm, with its Apollo Go autonomous transportation service providing 821,000 rides in Q3 2023 alone, a remarkable 73% year-on-year increase. In addition, the growing popularity of the Baidu app, with 663 million monthly active users in September 2023, reinforces the company’s strong position in the competitive mobile ecosystem.
Financially, its Q3 2023 results show solid growth, with total revenue of RMB34.4 billion ($4.72 billion), a year-on-year increase of 6%.
RELX (RELX)
RELX Plc (NYSE:RELX) stands out as a global player in information-based analytics and decision tools. In the first nine months of 2023, RELX’s revenue grew an impressive 8%, setting a positive tone for the full year.
Its business services segment comprised a significant 35% of revenue, experiencing 8% growth. This success is due to its proficiency in analytics and decision tools, especially in areas such as Financial Crime Compliance.
In the scientific, technical and medical sector (33% of revenues), it experienced 4% growth. This is due to its ability to adapt and focus on the fastest growing segments within the division. It is as if the company has found the sweet spot for providing essential tools to evolving sectors.
The legal sector, which accounts for 20% of revenue, posted solid growth of 6%. This is attributed to its strategic shift to high-growth legal analytics, symbolized by the success of its Lexis+ platform, which uses extractive AI.
The exhibits segment, which contributes 12% of revenue, grabbed the spotlight with a remarkable 32% growth. It not only maintained pre-pandemic levels, but exceeded them, proving that its innovative approach to digital tools is paying off.
As of this writing, Gabriel Osorio-Mazzilli did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines (no position)
Gabriel Osorio is a former Goldman Sachs and Citigroup employee. He possesses discipline in bottom-up value investing and volatility-based long/short equities trading.