Two Stock Selections for Sustainable Growth as Investors Shift Away from Cash
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Sep 30 2025
0mins
Should l Buy ORCL?
Source: MarketWatch
Investor Perspective: Investors should remember that established companies can still innovate and remain competitive over time.
Market Position: Krishna Chintalapalli, a portfolio manager, believes Mastercard and Visa are well-positioned as cash usage declines globally, despite competition from newer companies.
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Analyst Views on ORCL
Wall Street analysts forecast ORCL stock price to rise
34 Analyst Rating
25 Buy
9 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 156.480
Low
180.00
Averages
309.59
High
400.00
Current: 156.480
Low
180.00
Averages
309.59
High
400.00
About ORCL
Oracle Corporation offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. The Company operates through three businesses: cloud and license, hardware and service. Its cloud and license business is engaged in the sale, marketing and delivery of its enterprise applications and infrastructure technologies through cloud and on-premise deployment models including its cloud services and license support offerings, and its cloud license and on-premise license offerings. Its hardware business provides infrastructure technologies including Oracle Engineered Systems, servers, storage, industry-specific hardware, operating systems, virtualization, management and other hardware-related software to support diverse IT environments. Its services business provides services to customers and partners to help maximize the performance of their investments in Oracle applications and infrastructure technologies.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Concerns Over TikTok's User Exodus in U.S. Appear Overstated
- User Engagement Rebound: Following a brief spike in deletions after the announcement of TikTok's U.S. joint venture, Sensor Tower data indicates that daily active users in the U.S. remain around 95%, demonstrating strong user loyalty despite initial concerns.
- Stable Download Figures: TikTok recorded 870,000 and 800,000 downloads in the two weeks post-announcement, while the new social platform UpScrolled saw a temporary surge followed by a sharp decline, indicating users' continued preference for TikTok over alternatives.
- No Significant Change in User Experience: Despite concerns over content censorship and algorithm adjustments, analysts note that users generally feel the TikTok experience remains unchanged, suggesting that any algorithm modifications have not led to user attrition but may present new opportunities for the platform.
- Potential Risks and Opportunities: Under new ownership, TikTok faces risks of politically biased content moderation, which could lead to dissatisfaction among users and advertisers if not managed properly; however, current user trust appears to have been restored, reflecting the platform's resilience.
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TikTok's US Joint Venture Shows Minimal User Exodus
- User Activity Stability: Despite a surge in deletions following the announcement of TikTok's US joint venture, Sensor Tower data indicates that daily active users in the US remain around 95%, suggesting that fears of mass user exodus are overstated.
- Usage Time Recovery: The average daily time spent by American users on TikTok has rebounded to approximately 80 minutes, after dipping to 77 minutes during service disruptions, indicating a strong user loyalty to the platform.
- Download Trends Comparison: Following the joint venture announcement, UpScrolled saw a 770% increase in new downloads in one week, but the following week experienced an 80% drop, while TikTok registered 870,000 downloads in the same period, highlighting continued user preference for TikTok.
- User Feedback Stability: Despite concerns over content censorship, analysts note that users report no significant changes in their overall TikTok experience, with many stating that the app still feels strong, indicating a robust adaptability to the new ownership.
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- Rising Electricity Prices: With electricity prices spiking 6.9% year-over-year in 2025, public anxiety about the economy is increasing, as Navarro attempts to blame former President Biden, indicating the current administration's challenges in addressing inflation.
- Policy Response Measures: The Trump administration has signed a pact with several states urging major tech companies to finance $15 billion for new power plants to alleviate the strain data centers place on the grid, demonstrating proactive government intervention in energy policy.
- Election Outlook Impact: As the November 2026 midterms approach, polls show Democrats leading by 5.2 points, reflecting voter concerns over economic issues that could affect Trump's and the Republican Party's electoral prospects.
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- Pause on Tech Security Measures: Ahead of the Trump-Xi Jinping meeting, the Trump administration reportedly paused several critical technology security measures targeting China, a decision that could influence the future trajectory of U.S.-China tech relations and reduce market uncertainties.
- Apple Court Victory: Apple secured a courtroom win as a jury rejected claims from Optis Wireless that it infringed on 4G wireless patents, a result that will help protect Apple's intellectual property and strengthen its market position.
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- Alphabet's Strong Earnings: Alphabet reported $113.8 billion in revenue for Q4, an 18% year-over-year increase, with net income of $34.45 billion, up nearly 30%, although the market reacted cautiously to its $185 billion AI infrastructure spending, the rapid growth of its cloud computing division indicates strong business potential.
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Concerns Over TikTok's User Exodus in U.S. Appear Overstated
- User Engagement Rebound: Following a brief spike in deletions after the announcement of TikTok's U.S. joint venture, Sensor Tower data indicates that daily active users in the U.S. remain around 95%, demonstrating strong user loyalty despite initial concerns.
- Stable Download Figures: TikTok recorded 870,000 and 800,000 downloads in the two weeks post-announcement, while the new social platform UpScrolled saw a temporary surge followed by a sharp decline, indicating users' continued preference for TikTok over alternatives.
- No Significant Change in User Experience: Despite concerns over content censorship and algorithm adjustments, analysts note that users generally feel the TikTok experience remains unchanged, suggesting that any algorithm modifications have not led to user attrition but may present new opportunities for the platform.
- Potential Risks and Opportunities: Under new ownership, TikTok faces risks of politically biased content moderation, which could lead to dissatisfaction among users and advertisers if not managed properly; however, current user trust appears to have been restored, reflecting the platform's resilience.
See More
TikTok's US Joint Venture Shows Minimal User Exodus
- User Activity Stability: Despite a surge in deletions following the announcement of TikTok's US joint venture, Sensor Tower data indicates that daily active users in the US remain around 95%, suggesting that fears of mass user exodus are overstated.
- Usage Time Recovery: The average daily time spent by American users on TikTok has rebounded to approximately 80 minutes, after dipping to 77 minutes during service disruptions, indicating a strong user loyalty to the platform.
- Download Trends Comparison: Following the joint venture announcement, UpScrolled saw a 770% increase in new downloads in one week, but the following week experienced an 80% drop, while TikTok registered 870,000 downloads in the same period, highlighting continued user preference for TikTok.
- User Feedback Stability: Despite concerns over content censorship, analysts note that users report no significant changes in their overall TikTok experience, with many stating that the app still feels strong, indicating a robust adaptability to the new ownership.
See More
White House Considers Cost Burden on Data Centers
- Cost Internalization for Data Centers: White House trade advisor Peter Navarro stated that data center builders must absorb costs related to electricity and water usage, highlighting the government's concern over economic pressures that could impact companies like Meta.
- Rising Electricity Prices: With electricity prices spiking 6.9% year-over-year in 2025, public anxiety about the economy is increasing, as Navarro attempts to blame former President Biden, indicating the current administration's challenges in addressing inflation.
- Policy Response Measures: The Trump administration has signed a pact with several states urging major tech companies to finance $15 billion for new power plants to alleviate the strain data centers place on the grid, demonstrating proactive government intervention in energy policy.
- Election Outlook Impact: As the November 2026 midterms approach, polls show Democrats leading by 5.2 points, reflecting voter concerns over economic issues that could affect Trump's and the Republican Party's electoral prospects.
See More
French President Celebrates Successful Rocket Launch of 32 Amazon Leo Satellites
- Successful Rocket Launch: The French president celebrated the successful launch of Europe's most powerful rocket, which deployed 32 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit, marking a significant advancement in Europe's space capabilities and enhancing its competitiveness in the global space market.
- Pause on Tech Security Measures: Ahead of the Trump-Xi Jinping meeting, the Trump administration reportedly paused several critical technology security measures targeting China, a decision that could influence the future trajectory of U.S.-China tech relations and reduce market uncertainties.
- Apple Court Victory: Apple secured a courtroom win as a jury rejected claims from Optis Wireless that it infringed on 4G wireless patents, a result that will help protect Apple's intellectual property and strengthen its market position.
- AI Industry Developments: Elon Musk criticized AI startup Anthropic for alleged bias while announcing a $30 billion funding round that pushed its valuation to $380 billion, highlighting the intense competition and rapid evolution within the AI sector.
See More
Cryptocurrency Market Slump and Tech Stock Opportunities
- Cryptocurrency Market Decline: The overall cryptocurrency market has fallen over 45% since reaching a high of $4.28 trillion on October 6, 2025, primarily driven by Bitcoin's price drop and institutional ETF withdrawals, highlighting the market's heavy reliance on sentiment and liquidity.
- Alphabet's Strong Earnings: Alphabet reported $113.8 billion in revenue for Q4, an 18% year-over-year increase, with net income of $34.45 billion, up nearly 30%, although the market reacted cautiously to its $185 billion AI infrastructure spending, the rapid growth of its cloud computing division indicates strong business potential.
- TSMC's Market Share Growth: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing increased its market share from 66% to 72% in Q3, with Q4 revenue reaching $33.73 billion, a 25.5% year-over-year increase, and guidance for even better revenue in Q1, showcasing its leadership and robust growth prospects in the semiconductor industry.
- Oracle's Cloud Computing Growth: Oracle generated $7.97 billion in revenue in Q2 of fiscal 2026, a 34% increase year-over-year, with cloud computing becoming its largest revenue driver; despite over $100 billion in debt, its growth potential remains significant compared to the risks associated with cryptocurrencies.
See More
Wall Street Analysts Weekly Recap: Oracle and Unity Upgrades
- Oracle Upgrade: DA Davidson upgraded Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) from Neutral to Buy with a $180 price target, despite the company carrying $130 billion in debt and $248 billion in leases; analysts believe the growth potential justifies investment, expecting only minor stock fluctuations over the next ten weeks.
- Unity's Positive Outlook: Oppenheimer upgraded Unity Software (NYSE:U) to Outperform with a $38 price target, arguing that market fears regarding Google's Project Genie are unfounded, as Unity remains the essential backbone of development, with forecasts indicating accelerating revenue and improving margins, presenting a strong risk/reward scenario.
- Norwegian Cruise Downgrade: Barclays downgraded Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE:NCLH) to Equal Weight with a $23 price target, citing a 24% stock price increase over the past three months, while facing weak 2026 yield expectations and increased competition that could undermine brand value.
- Kraft Heinz's Dim Prospects: JPMorgan downgraded Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) to Underweight with a $22 price target; despite beating Q4 2025 earnings expectations, the disappointing 2026 outlook, with North American volumes down for 19 consecutive quarters, raises concerns about the sustainability of dividends absorbing nearly 80% of free cash flow this year.
See More
